Let Me Love You
by normero1546
Summary: Set after 4x03. Little different timeline from the show and not as sappy as my other stories but it will pay off if you're patient ;)
1. Chapter 1

They had been married for all of 3 days now and it was already becoming familiar to Alex. Driving to the house after work already felt like coming home. But to be honest, she had always felt like home to him. Even before they became friends. Even when she got under his skin at every turn. Even through all of his suspicions about her in the beginning, he still felt safe with her. He always knew that he needed her, loved her even. And he always believed that somewhere deep inside, she needed him too.

He had always been so cautious with her though, never pushed her to admit it to him. If there was one thing he didn't want, it was to make her uncomfortable. She had endured enough discomfort and shame in the presence of men.

It was later that evening, the third night he had stayed in her house, that everything changed. As he ascended the stairs, he heard her crying in the bathroom. He had seen her cry before, seen her in anguish many times, but tonight was different. He couldn't stop himself, drawing nearer to the strip of light coming from the crack in the bathroom door. He reached an arm out to push it open further, slowly, so as not to frighten her.

"Norma?" he asked softly. She sniffled, turning to meet his gaze, her robe hanging open, exposing the nothingness beneath.

Half a second passed before he averted his eyes, turning around quickly and stepping out of the room. "Shit, Norma, I'm sorry. I didn't see anything, I promise," he said, suddenly flustered. He stood awkwardly behind the door, trying to push away the image of her perfect, naked body from his mind and the feelings that came with it. The three glasses of scotch he had just finished certainly weren't helping.

"Alex?" he heard her whisper from behind the door.

He sighed, fighting the urge to walk straight into Dylan's room and go to sleep. Maybe they could just pretend it hadn't happened and in the morning, everything would be back to normal.

But something kept his feet firmly planted to the floor. His desire to avoid the awkward situation was overshadowed by his fierce need to comfort her. "Are you okay, Norma?" he asked through the door.

"No," she answered immediately, the pain in her voice cracking his heart a little.

His eyes slipped closed, his brows furrowing. "What can I do?" he whispered.

The silence stretched on for several seconds and he shifted uncomfortably. Maybe he should just go to bed. He already felt that he was intruding and maybe she didn't want him there. For Christ sake, the marriage wasn't real. It wasn't his responsibility to comfort—

"Come in here," she finally said, snapping him out of his spiraling thoughts. Her voice suddenly sounded stronger. An edge to it that he couldn't quite pinpoint.

His eyes opened slowly, and he stared down at the doorknob, unsure of what to do. "Umm. Are-are you decent?" He asked, awkwardly.

"No."

He swallowed thickly, heat thrumming through him and his fingers unconsciously twitched forward. But he stayed frozen to the floor. He would never take advantage of her. He refused to be the reason for her pain.

"Please come in here," she tried again, the lust in her voice now unmistakable.

He slowly reached out, opening the door and keeping his eyes trained to the floor. He stayed as still as he possibly could.

"Alex, look at me," she whispered and his eyes fell shut.

"Norma…" he sighed, suddenly in physical pain. She had no idea the effect she had on him. Then again, maybe she did.

"Please." Barely audible.

His eyes reluctantly, flitted open and he met her gaze. Refusing to look lower, though he could clearly tell that she now wore nothing. Her eyes were darker than he had ever seen them, her lips slightly parted.

Before he could stop himself, his eyes dropped to her chest. Her nipples hard, and her breasts slowly rising and falling with each shaky breath that escaped her lungs.

She watched the muscles in his jaw contract as he memorized her and all her nerves suddenly felt as though they were on fire. She felt stunning under his gaze.

His hands balled into fists at his sides and his jeans were suddenly becoming tight. His eyes drifted lower, following the curve of her tiny, beautiful waist, down over her hipbones. His breathing turned to shallow pants as he continued to study her.

She stepped toward him then, snapping him out of his trance. His eyes met hers once again and he stepped backwards. "What are you doing?" he whispered.

"I just want to be close to you," she whispered as she stepped forward again.

"Norma, I don't think we should do this now." His mind was reeling. Was this really happening? He had wanted this for longer than he cared to admit but this is not how he envisioned it happening.

"Alex…" she breathed, sending a new wave of desire coursing through him. She stepped toward him once again and this time he didn't move. Wasn't capable of moving.

"Norma, this is not a good idea," he mumbled, half-heartedly, as she continued to approach him. He kept his eyes trained on hers the whole time, trying to hold on to the last shred of his self-control as she hypnotized him.

When she finally came to stand directly in front of him, she looked up through her lashes, her hand coming up to rest on his chest. He trembled under her fingers.

"Touch me," she whispered, her breath ghosting over his lips, now mere inches from hers.

His eyes stayed locked on hers as his right hand reached up slowly, lightly grazing the skin of her hip. She inhaled sharply, expecting him to grasp her breast first. But he didn't. His gaze softened as his hand came up to cup her cheek.

She froze in place. The fear gripped her then. This look, his expression, it was too much. Too tender, too emotional. She had expected him to lift her off the ground, throw her on the bed and fuck her until he came. Then roll over and go to sleep. Just like all the other men in her past. Instead, he looked at her as though she were the only thing in the room.

His thumb reached up to wipe away her earlier tears and she watched him carefully. She had never felt more out of her depth than she did in that moment. Her plan had been to seduce him, to get what she wanted and for him to comply willingly. She knew he wanted her. But what she didn't know prior to that moment was that he wanted _all_ of her. Her mind, her body, her soul.

She tried to shake off the anxiety that had suddenly found roots in her and leaned forward in an attempt to meet his lips. Instead, he slid the hand that was on her cheek around to her neck and pulled her into his chest.

He held her gently, wrapping an arm around her naked waist. "Norma, I'm here, talk to me," he whispered, ignoring the heat radiating off her bare chest.

"I don't want to talk," she breathed, pressing a kiss to his chest, through his t-shirt.

She felt his hand slide up her back as he pressed his lips against the top of her head.

He swallowed hard, fighting the urge to pull back and kiss her lips. "Are you sure?" he whispered.

She reached her hands up under his shirt, and clawed her nails lightly down his back. He shivered, his fingers instinctively tightening in her hair.

"I'm more than sure."

He pulled back then, slipping a finger under her chin to tilt her head upwards. "So, what _do_ you want, Norma?" He already knew the answer, but he wouldn't do anything until he heard her say the words.

"You," she said. Strong, self-assured, not a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

His heart swelled with happiness at her declaration. What he couldn't have known in that moment was that she didn't mean she wanted to be with him. She was too wrapped up in her own grief to know what she wanted in that moment. All she knew was that she wanted to forget. Forget what was bothering her. Forget her hatred of herself. She wanted to feel loved and knew that he could provide that for her. But she wasn't ready to give her love. Not yet.

"I'm yours," he whispered before leaning down to kiss her lips softly. That wasn't going to work. She did not want to make love. She wanted to fuck. Her hands reached up, her fingers tangling in his hair as she pried his lips apart with hers, shoving her tongue in his mouth. He groaned, his hands everywhere and the bedroom suddenly too far away, though in reality it wasn't more than a few feet.

He lifted her easily, pressing her back against the wall and her hands were already going to work on unbuckling his belt. He lifted his shirt over his head, dropping it to the ground the same moment that she shoved his pants down. She gripped him roughly in her hand, pumping him a couple times, even though he was more than ready, before aligning him with her entrance. He panted, holding her hips up to hover above him. He tried to pull back to meet her eyes but she clutched his shoulders, holding him against her. She dropped her hips but he caught her before she could fully plunge down on him.

"Alex," she huffed in his ear, annoyed at his hesitation. "Fuck me, please."

A small part of his mind registered the fact that this was unusual behavior. Even for Norma. That something was bothering her and that this wasn't how it was supposed to happen. But too much of his attention was on the way her body felt against him, how she breathed heavily in his ear and how his arms shook with the effort of holding her up. Not because he wasn't strong enough to hold her but because he was dying to feel her pulsing around him.

So, he stopped thinking, stopped worrying and just focused on feeling. Feeling her, feeling this. He let her slide from his grip, and felt her envelope him as he supported her weight with his thighs. He sighed out a relieved breath at finally being buried inside her. She mewled softly against his ear, her fingers running through the hair at the base of his neck. He could feel her hands pulling his face deep into the crook of her neck, urging him to kiss her there.

So, he nuzzled his nose under her jaw, breathing in her scent and she pushed her hips against his, encouraging him to move.

He pressed a hand against the wall beside her head, digging the other into her hip and began thrusting in and out of her, slowly, gently. "Norma…" he groaned, a smile in his voice that instantly filled her with regret. He wasn't supposed to be this gentle, this loving.

"Faster, Alex," she moaned, pulling him harder against her.

"Norma, I can't."

"Why?" she breathed.

"Because this will be over too soon if I do," he confessed.

"That's okay, just come for me."

He felt an uneasy twist in his gut at her words. She wanted this to be over quickly. She didn't want to take her time with him. This wasn't about him. Wasn't about them. She just wanted to feel better.

He reached behind his back, gripping her wrists in his hands and pressing them gently against the wall at either side of her head. She smiled wickedly at him, thinking he wanted to take her roughly. But he just needed to get her attention. To stop her oncoming advances and pleas to keep going.

He looked deep in her eyes, seeing the hurt there and his decision was made. He released her hands, reaching down to hold her hips and slid out of her. "What are you doing?" she growled, reaching around to pull him towards her again when he set her back on her feet.

He ignored her, pushing her hands away gently, and pulled his pants back on.

She followed him into the bathroom and watched, in shock, as he reached down to pick up the robe she had left there. _What the hell was he doing?_ She wondered as he turned back to her and wrapped the robe around her naked body.

"What?" she snapped, when he pulled back to look at her expectantly.

"What do you mean, 'what', Norma? Tell me what's going on," he said, tiredly.

"I don't want to talk about it, Alex, I told you that," she said, stepping towards him.

"Well you need to. Or don't. But don't use me to make yourself feel better."

Her blood boiled. No one had ever resisted her like this. She bit her tongue to keep from screaming at him and he continued to watch her.

"I'm not, Alex. Please just take me to bed, okay? I promise I'm fine," she said as sweetly as she could manage.

He stayed silent, trying to read her expression and waiting for any clear sign as to what he should do.

She reached out, rubbing him through his jeans and his hands shot out to grasp her wrists.

"Stop it," he said through gritted teeth and she couldn't contain the sudden flare of anger that boiled up.

"FINE!" she screamed, turning on her heel and stomping down the hall toward her room. She slammed the door behind her collapsing into bed, fighting off her tears of frustration and leaving Alex frozen in the bathroom.

He ran a hand through his hair, breathing heavily, completely shocked by the turn of events. He always felt a step behind her, never knowing which direction her moods would take. But in that moment, he vowed to himself that he would figure her out. That one day, she would finally trust him enough to let him in. To let him love her. All of her.

To be continued…


	2. Chapter 2

Norma lay in bed, frustrated, cursing herself. Everything had been going so well between her and Alex and she just had to go and fuck it all up. After hours of tossing and turning, she gave up on sleep, climbing out of bed and sneaking down the hallway toward his room. Before realizing what she was doing, she was outside his door, secretly hoping that he was awake.

She turned the knob, not bothering to knock, and peeked inside. He lay facing the door, breathing heavily and looking so handsome that she was immediately drawn toward him.

When she came to the side of the bed, she reached a hand out to stroke his cheek as gently as she could manage. A slow smile spread across her face and for the first time, she felt a flicker of hope. Maybe he would forgive her one day. The smile faded almost as quickly as it had come when reality hit her: then again, probably not.

She turned around quickly, exiting the room without a backward glance and closed his door again. What she didn't know was that he had been awake the whole time. He hadn't gotten a moment of sleep all night either.

His eyes opened again the moment the door closed behind her and his heart picked up in double-time. His hand made its way to his cheek, tracing the path her fingers had taken just a moment before and he eventually, finally found sleep.

When he woke the next morning, everything was a blur. It took him a moment to remember the events of the previous night but when the details finally returned to him, he threw the covers off his body and made his way downstairs. He was all nerves as he walked into the kitchen, surprised when he found it empty and a note on the table.

Alex,

I had to run some errands. There's breakfast on the top shelf in the fridge for you. Have a great day at work. See you tonight.

Norma

He read and reread the note, trying to pick up on her mood through the words on the page. It was obvious she was avoiding him; who runs errands at 7 am? He wondered what tonight would be like. Would she make him dinner? Would they eat together? Would she excuse herself right after and go upstairs for the night, or would she spend some time with him?

He got ready for work robotically, his mind focused on one thing. As he showered, his thoughts flitted to her naked body and his lips suddenly remembered what it had felt like to finally kiss her. His eyes drifted shut of their own accord as his hand fell lower, over his abs and wrapped around his already growing length. He shivered and shuddered under the warm water, his mind consumed with only her as he brought himself closer to ecstasy. This wouldn't take long at all. When he finally reached his peak, it was Norma's name that escaped his lips. He briefly thought about what it would feel like to actually make love to her. To take her gently, hearing her soft, inviting voice moaning his name as he claimed her.

 _Enough_ , he thought as he shut off the water and climbed out.

The rest of the day crept by, painfully slowly. He was almost useless, his attention divided and he found himself asking people to repeat themselves several times.

When he finally finished for the day, he rushed out of the office, jumping in the SUV and speeding home. The eagerness wore off as soon as the motel came into view and his hands began to shake.

He pulled up beside her Mercedes and took a few steadying breaths before shutting off the car and climbing the steps.

"Norma?" he called out as he stepped into the house.

"In the kitchen," she replied, her voice oddly chipper and he immediately relaxed.

When he came around the corner, he stopped in the doorway. She was slicing bread by the sink and her back was to him. He couldn't resist the sudden temptation to watch her move, his heart swelling at her beauty. Her grace. Before he could get too carried away, he cleared his throat and she whirled around to face him.

"Hi," he said, his voice small.

"Hi, how was work?" she asked, a nervous smile playing on her lips.

"Uhh, it was okay. Not very eventful. How was your day?"

She turned back to the sink, avoiding his questioning gaze. He was so out of his depth here and he couldn't decipher her mood.

"It was good, thank you. I just did some grocery shopping and then spent a few hours in the office. We got a couple new guests today," she said. He hadn't missed the slight shake in her voice.

"That's great. How long are they staying?" he asked as he sat down at the table. Small talk was good. They could get to the hard stuff later, but he wanted to get past the awkwardness first.

"One family is staying for the week and the other couple is just here for a few days."

She placed the bread on a plate and turned to place it on the table. He watched her carefully as she approached him; her eyes avoiding his at all costs before turning quickly to get the dinner from the oven.

"That's great, Norma." Her heart fluttered in her chest when he said her name but she quickly regained her composure. She turned back to the table, smiling, yet still not meeting his gaze and set down the plate of spaghetti in front of him.

"Thanks," he mumbled as she took her seat across from him.

They ate in silence, neither looking at the other. Finally, as she brought the dishes to the sink, he stood up from the table, coming to stand beside her. He couldn't avoid it any longer. He had to tell her how he felt.

"Norma," he whispered. Her eyes fell shut and she shook her head slowly.

"Norma, look at me. Please," he tried again.

"Alex, don't do this," she sighed, her heart jumping into her throat. Not now. It was all too much.

He reached out to softly grip the top of her arms, pulling her around to face him. She didn't resist. Didn't want to resist. It felt too good to be so close to him.

She looked up, finally meeting his eyes for the first time since last night and the world melted away. Words failed him as he stared into her dazzling blue eyes. His gaze too intense, telling her exactly how he felt about her and she immediately averted her gaze, staring down at the floor. She felt the panic rising in her throat, choking her.

"Norma, we have to talk about it." His finger reached under her chin, urging her to look at him.

"I know," she whispered so quietly that if he had been any farther away, he would have missed it.

He stayed silent a few moments longer trying to organize his thoughts and slowly released his grip. His fingers drifted up her arms, coming to rest on either side of her neck and she leaned in, her eyes falling closed. His breathing picked up as he leaned forward, pressing his forehead to hers. Before he could stop himself, the words came tumbling out.

"Why did you come into my room this morning?"

Her eyes flew open as if she suddenly remembered where she was and she pulled back slightly. She met his gaze, her eyebrows knitting together. "What? I didn't," she said. _Shit, how did he know that?_

"I was awake, Norma. I know you did."

"I-I don't know. Maybe I was sleepwalking," she said defensively.

"Norma, stop. Just be honest with me. Just once." He couldn't help the obvious irritation in his voice.

She sighed exasperatedly and stepped out of his embrace. His hands fell away from her face immediately. "Alex, what do you want me to say?" she asked, walking around him; putting some distance between them so she could think more clearly.

He turned slowly, but stayed exactly where he was and spoke as calmly as he could. "I want you to tell me what you're feeling right now."

She stared him down, her breathing picking up and the fear crept in again. Suddenly, her eyes softened and she stepped toward him, reaching behind her to undo the tie on her apron.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his eyes drifting down to watch the material fall to the floor.

"You really want to know how I'm feeling, Alex?" she asked, walking toward him slowly until she was standing directly before him, invading his space.

He couldn't move. His head was spinning as he tried to figure out what was happening. Was she really trying to seduce him again?

She leaned in, placing a hand on his chest and pressed her lips against his ear. "I'm feeling like I want you to make love to me. Right here, right now," she whispered before biting down on the lobe.

He sucked in a sharp breath as his eyes fell shut and his hands inadvertently shot out to grasp her hips.

She smiled triumphantly, pleased that her words had the desired effect.

"Norma," he pleaded with her.

"What?" she moaned in his ear, rubbing her body against his.

"I need you to tell me that you really want this. That you really want me."

Her heart ached at the longing in his voice. Of course, she wanted him, she always had. But she wasn't ready. She trusted him with her life but she didn't trust that when he truly knew her, he would love her anymore. He would leave, he would disappoint her like all the rest. And he would break her heart. Because there would never be another Alex. She wouldn't come back from that. Her voice was suddenly thick with tears but she pushed them down before they could ruin this moment between them.

"Alex. I want you more than you know. Do you want me?" she whispered, her voice small.

He smiled against her hair, his heart constricting in his chest. "You have no idea how much I want you. How much I want to make love to you," his voice shook as he pulled her hips closer.

Her heart beat faster in her chest and she placed wet kisses down the column of his throat.

"But not here. I want you in your bed," he groaned and hoisted her off the ground. She let out a surprised gasp and wrapped her limbs around him, clinging to him like her life depended on it. She pushed away the fear, pushed away the anguish and just let herself enjoy the moment. She would deal with the fallout tomorrow. But for now, she wanted to feel safe and secure in his arms. She wanted his love.

As he climbed the stairs, she ran her fingers through his hair and kissed his temple. He smiled, squeezing her tighter to him and pressed his lips to the dip in her collarbone. He arrived outside her bedroom, kicking the door open and laid her down gently on the bed. The eagerness from downstairs dissipated as he stared down at her and she smiled softly at him. He needed to take his time with her now. Needed her to feel safe and cherished. But more importantly, he needed her to know exactly how he felt about her.

"Norma," he whispered and she sat up on the edge of the bed, bringing herself closer to him.

"What is it?" she asked, reaching out to pull him down beside her.

He stared into her eyes, his hands beginning to tremble. "I just need you to know how I feel about you. I need you to know that I… I'm falling in love with you."

 _No. Fuck. This is too much._ Her mind spiraled as she stared at him in shock. She knew he wanted her, loved her to a certain extent. But now that she knew he was falling in love with her, she wouldn't survive it if he left.

She hadn't noticed the tears that begin to fall until his face contorted in fear. He reached for her, cupping her cheeks. "No, no don't cry. Please don't cry," he whispered over and over, wiping the tears from her cheeks as they fell in earnest.

She sniffled, leaning her head into his chest and let the sobs take over as he pulled her into his lap. He rocked her gently back and forth and brushed a soothing hand through her hair.

"I-It's o-okay," she stuttered, clinging to him. "I j-just.. w-wasn't e-expecting that. I'm s-sorry."

"Don't be sorry." He kissed her head softly, letting her tears subside and when she had finally cried herself out, she pulled back to look at him.

"Are you alright?" he whispered. She didn't want to think anymore. Didn't want to feel what she was feeling.

She gripped the back of his neck, pulling him down to kiss her lips. She opened her mouth to his and he pulled away immediately.

"We don't have to do this right now, Norma."

"I want to do this. Please, Alex."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, yes. I was just taken off guard, I'm okay now."

He still looked conflicted, but she could feel him growing beneath her and she knew he was moments from caving in.

She pulled him closer and whispered against his lips, "I want you now, Alex."

He kissed her softly, standing up to let her down on her feet and pulled back to look at her. He reached out and began unbuttoning her shirt. "If you change your mind, tell me to stop and I will."

She smiled up at him, not allowing his words to ruin the moment again. No one had ever treated her with so much respect and she could feel the tears threatening again. She averted her attention reaching down to pull at his belt. When she looked back up at his face, he was watching her carefully.

"Alex, I'm okay, really," she giggled and reached out to touch his lips.

He smiled softly and nodded. When he finished with her buttons, he peeled her shirt off slowly, letting it fall to the floor. "You're beautiful," he whispered against her chest when he leaned down to place a gentle kiss above the cup of her bra.

She moaned softly, her fingers threading into his hair. When he pulled back, she went to work on undoing his belt while he began unbuttoning his shirt.

She tugged his pants down together with his boxers and he pushed his shirt off his shoulders. She reached out to pull his t-shirt over his head and ran her hands down his chiseled chest, taking a moment to appreciate his perfect body. She didn't get to see much of him last night and she hadn't realized how in shape he was. Her mouth ran dry as her need for him grew. She could feel the heat pooling in her belly as she grew wetter.

"Alex," she breathed, reaching out to run her fingertips over his cock. He shivered under her touch, his breaths turning to pants. He pressed his lips to hers firmly, reaching around to unhook her bra and pulled it off her chest. She pushed her pants and underwear down and stepped out of them while he bent down to take her breast into his mouth.

"Alex," she moaned. "Take me to bed."

He lifted her off the ground immediately, fusing their lips and laid her down on the bed.

She kissed him hard, her tongue slipping inside and his hands found her face, holding her jaw as he claimed her mouth.

Suddenly, she flipped them over, straddling his hips and looking down at him. He watched as she leaned down to place kisses on his chest. She ran her tongue down the length of his torso as he ran his hands up her arms. His head fell back on its own. "Norma," he breathed when her tongue met his shaft.

She teased him, placing small kisses up and down his length before cupping his balls and grasping his cock all at once. His eyes flew open and he leaned up to see her smiling at him. She maintained eye contact as she took him into her mouth, swirling her tongue around the tip.

"Fuck," he groaned and she picked up the pace, plunging down on him. She set up an unrelenting pace, bobbing her head back and forth and he grasped her hair in his hands as gently as he could. After a few moments, he panted out, "Norma, baby, please stop!"

She released him immediately, climbing up his body and straddled him. She rubbed herself against him and he squeezed her hips hard, looking up at her through half-lidded eyes. "Ah, you're driving me crazy."

She smirked, more turned on than she had ever been in her life. His strangled groan was music to her ears; her new favorite sound. She reached down to align him with her entrance, but instead, he flipped them over.

She shrieked, and looked up at him questioningly.

"Slow down, baby," he whispered. She took a deep breath, steadying herself and smiled shyly at him.

He leaned down to kiss her lips as he pushed into her as slowly as he could. She broke off, gasping at the sudden excruciating pleasure.

Her head fell back against the pillow and he stopped moving once he was fully inside her.

"Fuck, Norma. Do you have any idea what you do to me?" He breathed against her throat.

She couldn't speak, couldn't breathe. It felt too good. His love, his devotion to her. She just wrapped her legs tighter around his waist, pulling his face into her neck. He began moving, slowly, lovingly and kissed everything he could reach. He ran his hands up and down her waist as he pushed deeper and deeper.

She couldn't think anymore. Hardly remembered what was bothering her and just let herself believe for a moment that everything would be fine. Nothing had ever felt better in her entire life and she just let herself find safety and comfort in his arms, in his loving embrace. He ploughed into her, harder and harder, groaning against her skin as she cried out beneath him.

When he felt her walls closing in around him, he pulled back, kissing her hard and whispered against her lips. "I want you to come for me, Norma."

The panic crept in again. She had never come with another person before. No one had ever asked her to. How would she explain that to him?

"I can't, Alex," she panted.

"What?" he groaned, pulling back to look her in the eyes.

"I can't come with someone. It's okay, really. I don't need to," she assured him, smiling.

"Norma—"  
"Alex, seriously. It's okay," she whispered, smiling so he would believe her. "But I want you to come. Now."

"Norma I'm not going to come without you," he sighed, like she was being totally ridiculous. He had stopped moving completely.

"Look, why don't we try me later? I just want you to come for me now. Please," she begged, biting down on his lip.

He groaned, feeling his resolve slip away. He didn't know how long he could hold off and she felt too good wrapped around him.

"Alex, move, please. I want you to come inside me, okay?"

He picked up the pace, suddenly, reaching down to rub her sensitivity as he ploughed into her. He began to lose his rhythm and he flicked his thumb back and forth frantically, hoping that somehow, she would be able to finish too.

He held off as long as he could, kissing her passionately and spreading her legs wider.

"Alex, let go for me, baby," she whispered before slipping her tongue back into his mouth.

That was all it took to send him flying. "Oh, fuck Norma," he moaned as he spilled out into her. She smiled against his cheek, holding him while he came crashing down. She ran her fingers through his hair as his breathing slowed.

She was completely at peace. She had never felt safer in anyone's presence before and she let herself enjoy the moment.

When he finally came back to his senses, he slid out of her and kissed her lips softly.

He continued down, kissing a path down her stomach and she grabbed his arms roughly before he could get too far. "What are you doing?" she asked, panic evident in her voice.

He looked up at her in confusion. "I just wanted to make you feel good."

"No Alex. Please don't," she whispered, the fear gripping her.

"Okay." He stopped immediately, hating that he had made her feel afraid. He climbed back up her body, settling behind her and took her in his arms. "Why does that scare you?" He whispered before kissing her cheek softly.

"I just really don't like it," she said, the tears falling down her cheeks again against her will.

"Are you crying?" he asked, leaning up to look at her. She covered her face in her hands.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled. "It's just too much, okay? I'm not ready to talk about it yet."

"Okay, okay. Will you just turn towards me, please? I want to hold you," he whispered.

She turned over immediately, looking up at him. "Kiss me," she whispered.

He obliged without hesitation, holding her face in his hands and kissed her as gently as he could manage.

She pulled away, reaching down to the end of the bed and pulled the blankets up to cover their bodies. She settled back against him, wrapping an arm around his waist and buried her face in his chest.

"Norma, are you sure you don't want me to try? I don't have to go down on you if that scares you."

She smiled against his chest, snuggling deeper into him. "I really don't want to, tonight. I'm tired. We can try tomorrow if you want."

His heart skipped a beat. She wanted to do this again. He closed his eyes, his smile a mile wide as he hugged her tighter. "Okay, Norma. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Alex," she sighed, tangling her legs with his and let her eyes close.

He held her for a few moments, waiting until her breathing slowed and when he thought she was asleep, he whispered "I love you," against the top of her head.


	3. Chapter 3

When Alex woke the next morning, he knew exactly where he was, all the events from the previous evening playing over and over in his mind. A smile stretched across his face and he refused to open his eyes; too afraid that the beautiful memories would be tainted by whatever was to come.

He had turned away from her in his sleep but he could feel her arm wrapped around his torso, her body curved around his. She breathed evenly against his neck; goosebumps flaring up on his skin each time she exhaled. Nothing would ever be more perfect than this.

He reached a hand up to clasp one of hers and lifted it to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles. She stirred, moaning softly and he turned to face her. His eyes opened slowly and he reached out to stroke her cheek.

Her eyes fluttered open and he felt her body tense when she met his gaze. He smiled gently at her, though his heart was beating wildly and he grew more and more anxious. She didn't return his smile, just watched him for a moment while the memories came back to her.

"Hi," she whispered, her expression completely unreadable.

"Hi," he replied, the smile falling from his face. He said nothing more, waiting for her to give him some kind of insight into what she was feeling.

After a few moments of silence, she reached her hand up to his cheek and pulled him closer. Her lips crashed into his and he froze, completely taken off guard, before returning the kiss with equal fervor. Her mouth opened to his and she pulled him on top of her. He held his weight above her with shaking arms and she reached down to where he was already hard, gripping him in her soft hands. Her tongue slipped into his mouth and he twisted his fingers in her hair, groaning.

"Alex," she whispered when he pulled away to kiss her neck.

"Are you sure you want to do this right now?" he sighed against her throat and she nodded, clutching his neck fiercely.

"Yes," she breathed.

He pulled back, looking into her eyes before pushing into her without another word.

"Ahh," she sighed, her head dropping back against the pillow.

When she met his gaze again, she giggled. "Good morning," she sighed, her smile warm and her expression taking his breath away.

"Good morning, baby," he said and his eyes were so soft and loving that she felt the fear rising in her throat. She pushed it away and just focused on the way he felt inside her.

He began thrusting slowly, maintaining eye contact. "And how did you sleep?" he groaned.

"Mmm, very well. You?" She tried to keep her voice as casual as possible, an innocence in her eyes that made him reckless with wanting her.

"I've never slept better," he whispered against her lips and she gasped when his stroke hit her in the right spot.

He grinned wickedly and picked up the pace, reaching down to flick his thumb against her clit.

"Al-Alex.." she cried, her tone desperate.

"What is it?" he asked, but didn't slow his movements.

"Oh, it feels too good," she moaned.

He laughed breathlessly as he continued. "Good, baby. Just let yourself feel it."

Her moans grew louder and more frantic as she felt herself building and suddenly her hand shot out to grasp his arm. "Stop! Stop, please!" she screamed.

He froze, his hand coming back up to support himself above her.

"What? What, is it? What did I do?" he asked, frantically as her hands flew up to cover her face and she let out a gut-wrenching sob.

He slipped out of her immediately and she turned onto her side, curling into a ball. He wrapped his body around hers, holding her while she cried.

"Shh, it's okay I'm here, I'm here," he repeated soothingly in her ear and kissed the side of her face.

"God, I'm sorry Alex. I'm so sorry," she cried.

"Norma, don't be sorry. Just tell me what's going on please. Did I hurt you?"

Her sobs subsided and she intertwined her fingers with his, pulling him tighter against her. "No. No, you didn't hurt me."

"Then what happened? Please, you're scaring me."

"It's just too much. This is all too much, Alex. I don't deserve you. At all. And you're just looking at me like that. Like I'm the most perfect thing you've ever seen and I can't. I just can't do this. I can't. It's too much," she repeated, her voice so broken and tiny that his heart shattered.

"Norma, you _are_ the most perfect thing I've ever seen. And the most gracious and brave person I've ever known. If anything, _I_ don't deserve _you._ " He took a deep breath to calm himself, closing his eyes. He could go on all day about what she meant to him but he didn't want to scare her off again. "Look, I'm not asking you for anything, okay? I would never expect anything from you and you will never owe me a thing. I just want to make you happy. I just want to be here for you. We don't ever have to have sex again if it's too much for you." He was silently praying to whoever was listening that sex wasn't off the table between them. But he would give it up for the rest of his life if it meant he could be with her.

She laughed quietly. "Sex is not too much for me, Alex. I would never give up sex."

He smiled against her hair, stroking her cheek with his fingers and she turned to look at him. "Good," he whispered and leaned in to kiss her lips.

She pulled back, her expression haunted. "I'm really sorry, Alex. I just need time. This is just all too much."

"That's okay, Norma. You have all the time in the world."

She smiled and leaned in to kiss him. "Now let's take care of this," she whispered, glancing down, suggestively.

"No, Norma, it's okay."

"I want to do this. Please, Alex," she said, pushing him onto his back and climbing on top of him.

"Norma, I just don't th—," his words were cut off suddenly as she lowered herself onto him again.

She picked up the pace, riding him roughly as though they had never been interrupted. He couldn't resist anymore. The pressure was building too quickly and she looked so perfect above him. Her hair a wild mess around her face, her eyes closed and her lips slightly parted.

He reached up to grasp her breasts in his hands and watched her bounce up and down above him. His hands fell to her hips, gripping them as he pushed up into her at the exact moment she came down. Her eyes flew open and her nails dug into his chest. She whimpered, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Norma, I-I'm gonna—" he warned, his hands squeezing her hips almost too hard.

She smiled, picking up the pace. "Do it, Alex."

His eyes squeezed shut and he let out a desperate groan. "Norma," he whispered as he released up into her.

She bent down, pressing her chest against his and kissed his neck soothingly as he shuddered and panted under her. He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and breathed out, "you're so beautiful," in her ear.

She smiled, hugging him tighter and stroked his hair for a few moments while he regained his composure.

After several moments, she climbed off of him, and reached for her robe at the end of the bed.

He sat up immediately. "Where are you going?" he asked, unable to hide the concern in his voice.

She turned back to him, smiling reassuringly and placed a kiss on his lips. "Don't worry, I'm just going to make breakfast."

Before she could climb out of bed, he pulled her back into him, kissing her hard. "Breakfast can wait," he whispered against her lips. "I'm not done with you yet."

She shivered at his words, laying back against the pillows and he hovered above her.

She clutched his neck, flicking her tongue against his lips and he pushed his tongue into her waiting mouth. She moaned softly and wrapped her arms and legs completely around him. The friction of his chest hair against her nipples and his growing length against her center made her break off with a gasp. He pressed his forehead to hers as they struggled to slow their breathing.

"Norma, I would really like to make you come right now. Will you let me try?" he asked and he felt her whole body tense beneath him.

Her eyes opened and she looked up at him shyly. She took her lip between her teeth and nodded slowly.

Relief coursed through his veins but he waited, watching her to be sure she really wanted this.

She stared into his eyes and a nervous smile played on her lips. "I would really like that, Alex. But I'm scared."

He reached out to stroke her cheek. "What are you scared of?"

She looked down, avoiding his loving gaze so she could think more clearly. "It's just new. No one has ever cared enough to do that for me."

His heart broke a little at her words. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm really sorry you've been treated like shit in the past. You don't deserve that."

"It's okay. I never really thought about it too much before you. I never thought that was normal before."

"Well, it should be normal. I want you to be satisfied. Always. I want you to enjoy this as much as I do."

She smiled widely, wiggling under him a bit to feel the friction again. "I do enjoy this, Alex. Even if I don't ever come, I still enjoy every moment of this."

He crushed his lips to hers, moaning low in his throat. "You're perfect," he whispered when he pulled away.

"No, _you're_ perfect, Alex," she replied, her expression growing serious as she looked deep into his eyes. His heart stuttered and he took a shaky breath.

"God, will I ever stop wanting you?" he whispered, looking all around her face, taking in each of her features.

She watched him watching her and for a moment, the fear was replaced with something else. Something she couldn't quite name. Something calmer. Something deeper than she had ever felt in her entire life. She didn't want to name it. Didn't want to dwell on the feeling for too long, knowing it was dangerous to feel this deeply for him. Knowing that it couldn't last. So, she just met his gaze with a soft smile and whispered, "I hope not," before kissing him hard.

He rolled off of her onto his side and pried her thighs apart slowly. She broke off from their sideways kiss, suddenly feeling unsure and completely exposed.

"Is this okay?" he asked, his fingers drifting up the inside of her thigh.

She squeezed her eyes shut, pushing down the fear that threatened to grip her again and nodded. "Yes."

He trailed his nails lightly up her thigh, higher and higher, and she clutched his other hand in hers. He leaned over to run his tongue up the shell of her ear. She shivered as his breath caressed her oversensitive skin.

"I'm going to need your help here," he whispered, his voice low and sexy.

Her breathing picked up as she slid her other hand down her belly to her thigh and grasped his hand. He leaned up on his forearm to get a better view. He didn't want to miss any of her instructions, vowing to himself that he would learn all of this and commit every movement to his memory.

Just before they reached her center, he saw it. A huge scar on her upper thigh. His hand stopped moving and she opened her eyes, looking at him questioningly. She followed his gaze and when she finally saw it, she released his hand, sitting up immediately. She grabbed her robe, wrapped it tightly around her body and left the room without another word.


	4. Chapter 4

Alex stared after her, completely at a loss. This was bad. Really bad. There was obviously something horrible behind that scar and he hated that he had brought attention to it.

He waited a few moments, listening to the faint sounds of her moving around the kitchen downstairs before climbing out of bed. He stood in the empty room, wondering what to do.

Finally, after several moments of deliberation, he decided it was best to give her space and went about getting ready for work.

As he came into the kitchen, she was sitting at the table and he saw the plate of food she had made for him on the far side. They usually sat closer together when they ate.

Their relationship had always been like this. Two steps forward, one step back. The instability was part of what drew him to her but lately, it hurt more than he cared to admit.

She didn't look up when he entered the room, just stared at her plate, pushing the food around with her fork.

He hesitated in the doorway, before sighing dejectedly and came to sit down at the table.

Now that he was in a better position to see her face, he noticed that her expression was completely deadpan. There was no emotion there and it almost looked as though she were phased out. This worried him more than the tears ever would. He watched her for a while, completely forgetting the food on his plate and wished so badly that he could reach out and touch her. But he worried it would only upset her further.

Finally, he tore his eyes away, glancing down at his plate and ate his breakfast. When he was finished, he saw that she still hadn't touched her food, but she seemed to have snapped out of her trance. She had leaned back in her chair and was staring at her lap. Her fingers fiddled with her ring and he couldn't resist the temptation to move closer to her. He stood up, walking around the table and taking a seat in the chair closest to her. He reached out tentatively and took her left hand in both of his. "You know you don't have to talk about it, right?" he whispered.

She looked up at him, and a tiny sad smile appeared on her face. "Thank you," she whispered and intertwined her fingers with his, squeezing his hand.

He bent down to place a kiss to her knuckles and her heart melted a little.

He stood up from the table, releasing her hand. "I gotta get to work. Thank you for breakfast," he said, reaching a finger under her chin and bent down to kiss her lips quickly.

She watched him walk away, silently begging him to stay with her. When she heard the front door close, she dissolved into tears. "Fuck," she sobbed angrily, laying her head against the table. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she whispered into the empty room.

She had never felt more lost. But she had also never felt stronger. It was a strange combination that left her more alive than ever before. She felt hopeful. Maybe she wasn't doomed after all. When her sobs subsided, she felt herself smiling. A face-splitting grin that left her wondering if she was going crazy. When she reached up to wipe the tears from her cheeks, her ring caught her eye again.

Looking down at the beautiful round diamond, she suddenly had an idea and immediately went upstairs to get dressed.

Later that evening, Alex returned home with flowers. He had fought with himself all day, wanting to call and check on her but ultimately deciding against it. He didn't ever know what she needed. Did she want him to check on her? Or did she need space? He decided the latter was a safer bet. But when he passed the florist on his way home, he couldn't resist.

As he walked up the steps to the house, he heard the most beautiful music drifting through the living room windows. He soon realized it was her playing the piano and when he arrived at the front door, he heard her voice, soft and smooth singing along with the music. Her voice was beautiful; intoxicating. He had never heard her sing before and it was absolutely mesmerizing.

As quietly as he could manage, he stepped into the house but when the floor creaked under his weight, she whirled around to face him.

"Oh god, it's you!" she breathed, smiling at him when she had recovered.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he said, walking toward her. "That was beautiful, what you were playing before."

"Thank you. It's one of my favorites," she said and glanced down at his hands when he came to stand in front of her. "You got me flowers?" she sighed, looking back up at him in disbelief.

He unwillingly dropped his gaze, and realized he had forgotten about them completely. "Oh. Yeah, it's nothing. I just saw them and thought of you," he said, smiling at her and she just shook her head.

"Thank you, Alex. They're so beautiful." She reached out to take them and stood up to wrap her arms around him.

He hugged her tightly, closing his eyes and breathing her in. "You're welcome."

They stayed wrapped up in each other for a few moments, her hand drifting up to hold the back of his head and she turned her face in to kiss his neck softly. He repressed a shudder and hesitantly released her.

Her eyes were soft and warm when she looked into his. Something was different. She was different, and a rush of calm instantly came over him. "Okay, come on. Let's eat," she said smiling widely and walking around him toward the kitchen. He followed her and as he came around the corner, he saw that she had set his place right beside hers.

For the first time since he had moved in, he felt confident. He felt like he belonged there. Like she wanted him there. And there were no words to describe how much that little gesture meant to him.

As they ate, they talked about their day. He talked about the case he was working on and she talked about the new person she had hired to help out in the motel. A girl that was taking classes at a community college in the area and would be able to help several days a week. They talked about their favorite things. Their favorite colors, foods, and movies. She was surprised to discover that his favorite movie was Dirty Harry. She never took him for a lover of classics. They talked about themselves, but he was careful about which questions to ask. Ever afraid to upset her and ruin the moment.

When they had finished eating, she turned to look at him, smiling nervously.

He cocked his head and looked at her questioningly, his lips curling upwards. "What?"

"I got you something today," she replied.

"You did?" he asked. This was unexpected.

He looked down in time to see her pull a silver wedding band from her dress pocket. She held it up to him so he could see it better and watched as the smile fell from his face. He looked up at her immediately, his brow furrowing. "You… you got me a ring?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

She nodded, smiling at him. "Well, I was just thinking that we should really try to make this look real."

He recovered quickly, reaching out to take it from her but she pulled it back. "Let me," she said, reaching for his hand.

His heart felt as though it would burst at any moment as she slid the ring into place on his finger. She was incredible. This beautiful, strong, fragile, powerful, soft, perfect woman would be the death of him. He was in awe of her. With all the shit she had been through, she didn't let it make her bitter. And she was finally letting him in.

"Do you like it?" she asked, bringing him back to reality.  
"It's perfect, Norma. Thank you," he said, leaning in to kiss her. She smiled against his lips and reached out to cup his cheek.

"You're welcome," she whispered when she pulled away.

They lost themselves in one another's eyes and when she could feel her vulnerability slipping away and the walls threatening to come up again, she dropped her gaze. She laughed quietly, standing up to clear the table.

"Norma, let me do the dishes tonight," he said and she looked at him like she hadn't heard him right.

"What?" she asked.

"Why don't you go set up a movie for us and I'll clean up in here?"

"No, Alex, you've been working all day. I don't mind doing them," she said quickly and reached for the plates.

"Norma, you worked today too. And you cooked dinner. And breakfast this morning. Please, it's the least I can do."

She stared at him for a moment. "Um. I mean, are you sure?"  
"Yes, very," he said, already starting to clear the table and turned to the sink.

"Okay. Thank you, Alex," she said, still slightly shocked. No one had **ever** offered to clean up for her before. "Um, any preference on a movie?" she asked, starting towards the living room.

"Whatever you want is fine with me," he replied.

When he had finished in the kitchen, he came in to find her laying on the couch waiting for him. She smiled when she saw him and patted the space she had left behind her.

He immediately followed her unspoken instructions and settled himself behind her, pulling her in tightly against his body.

She started the movie and he ran his fingers absentmindedly up and down her arm. She could feel the electricity between them. It was tangible and it was making her lightheaded. She looked down at her hands that were playing with her ring and a thought popped into her head.

"I never thought to ask you, but where did you get this ring? It's so beautiful," she asked. His arms squeezed her a little tighter against him and he smiled into her hair.

"Um, actually it was my mother's."

Her heart stopped. Didn't skip a beat. It stopped. She was sure she hadn't heard him right. It was a fake wedding. Why the hell would he give her his dead mother's ring when it wasn't real?

Reality hit her then. Because it _was_ real. It was always real. He had always wanted it to be real. And she finally realized that she had too.

She turned slowly in his arms so she was facing him and the look in his eyes sent shockwaves through her entire body. The feeling came crashing over her then. The feeling she didn't want to name. The fear dissolved completely and was replaced by this feeling she hadn't wanted to acknowledge before. But she wasn't afraid anymore. She loved him with every fiber of her being.

She reached up, stroking his cheek and he watched her carefully. "Alex," she whispered. She shook her head slowly, watching her fingers as they traced his lips. He waited, unsure of what to do and his desire for her was suddenly crippling. His lips parted under her touch and he let out a shaky breath.

She locked eyes with him again and whispered the three words that he had been longing to hear since he first met her. "I love you."

His eyes slipped closed for a moment and the most beautiful smile spread across his face. He breathed a sigh of relief and opened his eyes again to find her watching him.

He couldn't find the words to express how he felt in that moment so instead, he pulled her in and kissed her deeply. "Norma, I love you so much," he sighed against her lips and a tear escaped the corner of her eye.

He wiped it away with a tender kiss and she wrapped her arms around his waist, craning her neck upwards to fuse their lips together again.

He hummed softly against her mouth and shifted so he was hovering above her. "Should we go upstairs?" he asked.

"No, I don't want to wait. Make love to me here," she breathed.

His mind was racing and his skin felt as though it was on fire. He bent down to kiss her neck as she pulled at his belt. He had never felt this desperate for anything in his entire life. He felt as though he couldn't move fast enough. He just wanted to be inside her. Wanted to feel her love.

She clearly felt the same way because she pushed his pants down just far enough, pulled her panties to one side and guided him inside her. She had never felt pleasure this intense before and she couldn't contain the ragged moan that escaped her.

He slipped a hand between them as he thrusted mercilessly into her and twisted her panties to create the perfect friction.

Her eyes flew open and she clutched his neck, bringing his lips down to meet hers. She bit his lip hard and he groaned at the pain but picked up the pace.

The pleasure was building quickly and she could feel her walls contracting around him. A tiny part of her brain tried to remind her that she wouldn't be able to come but she ignored it, reaching down to guide his movements so he was at the right angle.

He pulled back to look her in the eyes, never slowing and followed her instructions as well as he could. She pressed his thumb into her sensitivity and began moving back and forth against it.

Her moans picked up in speed and volume and he could feel her getting closer. He bit his tongue, using the pain to stave off his release for as long as it took to get her there.

"Tell me you love me," she begged, panting hard and closing her eyes as his movements sped up.

"I love you, Norma. I love you so much," he groaned kissing her with all the force he could possibly manage.

"Tell me you'll love me no matter what happens, Alex."  
He ignored the fear he felt at her words and obeyed her plea.

"I will never stop loving you. No matter what," he vowed and it was over. She threw her head back against the cushion, screaming his name and clamping her nails into his lower back. She clenched around him so hard that he released only seconds later.

They held each other as their breathing slowed and no words were spoken for a long while. It was just their ragged breathing and the movie in the background.

They stared at each other in wonder. They didn't smile, didn't speak, didn't move. He was still inside her and all of their clothes were still on. But they were comfortable. They were safe and secure and everything was different now. They knew what they were to each other. They were made for each other.


	5. Chapter 5

"Alex?" she whispered, after their breathing had finally returned to normal.

"Hmm?" he hummed back, continuing to stroke the side of her face with the back of his hand.

She glanced down to where her fingers were tracing shapes on his chest. "Why did you give me your mother's ring?"

His lips turned up into a tiny smile as he reached down to take her left hand in his. He fiddled with the beautiful diamond, suddenly deep in thought. After several moments, she glanced up to see his expression soft and dreamy, though she didn't miss the haunted look in his eyes. His smile faltered a bit before he smiled widely at her and pulled her hand up to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to her palm just below the ring.

"You remind me so much of her. She was strong and stubborn. But she was gentle and loving too," he said softly. She watched him carefully, in awe of him. She had never seen him like this. So many unanswered questions and conflicted feelings in his eyes. There was so much about him that she didn't know yet but was suddenly desperate to discover.

He swallowed hard before continuing, that same haunted look creeping back into his expression. "About a week before she passed away, she brought this to me…" he said, turning the ring around and around her finger. "… and told me that one day, I would find someone who would make me smile. Who would make me happy. And she told me that when I found her, I should give her this ring."

Norma's eyes were wide as she stared at him in disbelief. She shook her head softly, glancing down at their hands. "But it wasn't real then. You gave me her ring before you knew how I felt about you," she whispered, avoiding his eyes.

He leaned toward her, placing a soft kiss to her forehead and breathed in her scent. Her eyes fluttered closed as she relaxed into his embrace.

"It didn't matter. There was never anyone else. And there never will be," he said simply.

She squeezed him tighter against her, desperately trying to be as close to him as possible. She threw her leg over his hip and clung to him like her life depended on it, shaking her head to clear the demons that were quickly surfacing. He shifted to lie on his back and pulled her on top of him. Cupping her cheeks, he brought her face up so he could look her in the eyes.

"I'm never going to leave you, Norma. I know you're scared but you don't need to be. My life means nothing without you," he said seriously, watching the tears form in her eyes.

Her breathing quickened and he could feel her body tremble on top of him.

"What is it?" he whispered, stroking her cheek softly.

She leaned in to brush her lips against his. "Alex," she whispered, shaking her head slowly.  
"Talk to me. Please," he sighed, closing his eyes. Suppressing a shudder at the feel of her lips against his, her breath washing over his skin.

"I don't want this to be over, Alex."

He pulled back, his brows knitting together in confusion. "It doesn't have to be."

The tears fell slowly as she stared at him. "You don't know that."

"Yes I do," he said firmly. "Why don't you trust me?"

Her eyes closed and she pressed her forehead into his chest. Her hands came up to cover her face and she let the tears fall steady. "I do, Alex. I trust you more than anyone."

"Then why are you so convinced I'm going to leave you? What could be so horrible that would make me do that?" He stared up at the ceiling, running his fingers up and down her spine.

"I slept with my brother!" she sobbed out before she could stop herself. "I was teenager. It was a long time ago."

His whole body tensed and he stopped moving completely. He was sure he hadn't heard her correctly but waited for her to continue.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry to have to tell you this. He's Dylan's father," she whispered.

He swallowed hard before speaking, not trusting his voice. "Th-the guy that I had dinner with?" he stuttered, his gaze locked on the light fixture above. She nodded against his chest, sniffling softly. "Caleb, yeah," she answered.

He stayed completely still and wracked his brain for something to say. Anything. He had promised that she could trust him and he knew he had already made her unsure. "Norma, y-you were young. It was a mistake."

"Mistake, it was not a mistake. It happened for years. I loved him," she replied immediately. "Our home life was a torture, and we were all we had… I finally tried to stop it and um, he got really upset and he raped me." Her tone was flat; her voice cold and distant. After a few moments, she raised herself up on his chest to look him in the eye. "You know how horrible it is to be raped by someone you love?"

His heart broke as he saw the pain in her eyes. He wanted nothing more than to wrap her in his arms and keep her safe forever. To pull her back against his chest and soothe her fears. But he wanted her to finish. He wanted her to get everything out and never have to think about it or worry about it again for the rest of her life.

"And I hate him. I hate him, I hate him, but I don't hate him enough… to hurt him… And… And it's a mess because I don't know if part of why I hate Caleb so much, is because I hate myself." She sniffled, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. "All in a day's work," she scoffed with a hollow look in her eyes and he could feel her slipping away from him. She thought he was going to leave. How could he not? Who would want to be with her after all of this?

"So now you know who you're married to. And I should have told you before, but I've never loved anyone enough to feel obligated to be honest with them." She noticed the shift in his eyes when she said she loved him but she couldn't pinpoint what he was feeling. A tiny part of her began to feel hopeful but she pushed it away, knowing that if he rejected her, it would only hurt that much more.

Suddenly, she shifted off of him, coming to sit on the edge of the couch beside him. She fiddled with the bottom of her dress, staring at her hands as she felt the tears begin to fall. He remained silent but watched her intently.

His eyes flickered down to where she was scratching the scar on her thigh just as she turned to face him. Her heart sank as she followed his gaze and she ran her fingers over it absentmindedly. No point in hiding it anymore. "One day when my brother was doing things to me, our dad came home and I got so scared and jumped up so fast that I knocked over the ironing board and the iron fell on my leg," she said, her voice quivering as she spoke.

He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think. This was so much worse than he ever could have imagined.

"Just go pack your bags," she sighed, her head falling into her hands.

His hands itched to reach for her and he knew in that moment that his decision was made. He knew the moment she began her story; nothing would ever make him change his mind about her.

"Okay," he whispered more to himself than anything and he heard her sharp intake of breath as her shoulders fell. "Where are we going?"


	6. Chapter 6

She gasped, her head slowly raising out of her hands. She couldn't believe her ears.

He continued to watch her as she took in what he had just said. He knew it would take a while to fully convince her that he meant it but eventually he would prove himself to her.

She sat up straight, her body turning back to him and she stared into his eyes. Unable to contain the sob that escaped her chest, she threw herself into his waiting arms.

He rotated her to his other side so she was cradled between his body and the back of the couch. As she cried, he rubbed her back and whispered reassuringly in her ear.

"It's okay. I'm here. I'll never leave you," he repeated over and over.

Eventually when her tears had subsided, he felt her lips press against his neck and he shivered. His eyes fell closed as her hand pulled his shirt up and her fingers ghosted over his stomach. "I love you, Alex," she whispered against his throat before sucking on the skin below his jaw. He groaned, his hand drifting down her back to grab her ass. She let out a surprised moan at his sudden dominance.

"I love you, Norma."

Just as she reached for his face, he released her and stood up from the couch. She looked up at him in confusion but he just smiled back, reaching for her hand and pulling her up to stand in front of him.

He kissed her sweetly, brushing her hair away from her face as she wrapped her arms around his waist and melted into him. Pulling back, he tucked a lock behind her ear and ran his finger down the side of her throat. "Come with me," he whispered, brushing his nose against hers and she nodded back. "Where are we going?" she asked, repeating his earlier words and he smiled before turning to lead her out of the room. She followed him up the stairs, their fingers intertwined and neither said a word until they arrived at the bathroom.

He released her hand and walked over to the bathtub. "What are you doing?" she asked, a wide grin on her face.

" _We_ are taking a bath," he said, turning the water on and straightening up to look at her. "If you want," he clarified.

She laughed, walking towards him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "That sounds wonderful." She leaned in to place a heated kiss against his lips before pulling back to whisper seductively in his ear. "But honestly, right now I just really want you in our bed."

His fingers curled around her ass and he hoisted her up, her legs automatically wrapping around his waist. She let out a delighted squeal and his hand drifted up her thigh under her dress, playing with the hem of her panties.

"Can't argue with that," he teased, leaning down to turn off the water before walking determinedly towards her bedroom. He stopped suddenly just outside the door and looked into her eyes. "You said our," he said, a small smile in his eyes.

She leaned back to get a better look at him. "What?"

"You said _our_ bed."

She dropped her gaze, feeling shy all of a sudden. "Yeah, well. I was kind of thinking maybe you could move your stuff in here… If you want."

His heart felt like it would explode at any moment. She was so sweet and he was ever surprised by her ability to trust. "I'd love to," he whispered and fused their lips together again before walking toward the bed.

He let her down gently on the ground, barely leaving any space between them and lifted the dress over her head. Her heart raced as he reached around to unhook her bra. She loved this new side of him; less restrained than she had ever seen him and she loved that he was taking control. She trusted him more than anything and was relieved that he was finally doing what he really wanted to do.

When he pulled away, his eyes devoured her. Her skin prickled with anticipation as she shot him a mischievous smile and pushed her panties down her legs. He met her gaze, smiling softly, though his pupils were blown wide with desire.

He reached out suddenly, grasping her breasts in his hands as he kissed her hard. She moaned into his mouth, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him back onto the bed. He released her, his hands shooting out to catch himself and he hovered over her. She writhed beneath him, pulling at his shirt and he helped her lift it over his head.

He reached an arm under her back and pulled her farther up on the bed before trailing his fingers down her belly. Her eyes flew open and she stared up at him, suddenly unsure as he reached toward her sex. He stopped his movements immediately but stayed where he was and cocked an eyebrow at her. "You okay?" he breathed.

"Yes," she answered. "Sorry, it's just going to take a while to get used to."

He waited a moment longer, still not convinced. She reached out, taking his hand in hers and pushed it lower, smiling softly at him. "Touch me," she whispered.

That was all the reassurance he needed. He pressed his lips to hers, slipping a finger inside her and her hand contracted around his wrist. "Mm," she moaned as he stroked her gently.

His lips left hers, ghosting along her cheek before pressing firmly into her neck. He sucked on her pulse point as his fingers picked up the pace, moving against her harder and faster. She let out tiny gasps against his ear and clawed at his back. "Alex," she whispered.

"Mm?" he groaned against her neck.

"I want you to go down on me."

He pulled away from her neck to look at her face, all the while torturing her with his fingers. She looked up at him through half-lidded eyes, her mouth slightly open as she panted out frantic breaths.

"Are you sure?" he asked, more turned on than he had ever been. He had wanted this for longer than he cared to admit but had completely written it off.

"Very," she moaned, digging her nails into his shoulder as his thumb pressed hard into her sensitivity.

He shifted off of her, unzipping his pants and pushing them down along with his boxers. Her head fell to the side, unable to tear her eyes away from his evident desire for her.

He turned back to her, taking in every inch of her body. From her messy hair to her flushed cheeks, her lip caught between her teeth, to her heaving chest; nipples rock hard. His gaze flitted down to where her hands rested on her belly, her thighs rubbing together subconsciously while she waited for him. She was glorious. And she was his.

A surge of pride rushed through him as he climbed back on top of her, placing a gentle kiss against her lips before drifting lower. His teeth grazed her jaw, the column of her throat, her collarbones and hovered above her breast. He pressed a soft kiss to her nipple and she shivered, running her fingers through his hair. Her grip tightened as he flicked his tongue against the tip before closing his lips around her whole breast.

She sighed and bent down to kiss the top of his head. He smiled, whispering "I love you" against her skin.

Her heart swelled with happiness but just before she could reply, he rubbed his length against her center making her sigh in pleasure. He groaned, wanting so desperately to be inside her. But she was finally trusting him. Finally letting him do the one thing that she told herself she would never let anyone do again.

He climbed down her body with a newfound purpose. Placing a wet kiss to her hipbone as he gripped her thighs, she twisted under him, releasing a shaky moan. Something in her voice sounded off and he looked up to see her staring at the ceiling, her hands balled into fists at her sides. She looked like she was bracing herself. But not for pleasure. She looked terrified.

"Norma," he said at full volume, capturing her attention at once. She dropped her gaze to meet his and furrowed her brows in confusion.

"What?" she asked.

"Please tell me what you're thinking."

She breathed out an irritated sigh, throwing her arm over her eyes. "Why are you always so observant?"

He climbed back up her body, lying beside her and pulled her arm away from her face. "It's my job," he teased, smiling sweetly at her. "Don't try to change the subject."

She laughed quietly but he didn't miss the tenseness in her voice. He reached out to stroke her cheek as she stared at the ceiling. Her smile faded quickly as the memories returned to her. "My husband was really abusive. He got off to seeing me in pain."

His other hand balled into a fist at his side. Afraid to let her see his anger, he continued stroking her face soothingly as she collected her thoughts.

"It made him really angry that I couldn't have an orgasm with him so he started getting really aggressive when he would go down on me. He would hold me down and do really awful things. I finally got smart and faked it so he would stop." Her voice began to shake with unshed tears. "But when he finally realized I was faking it, it got so much worse."

He stayed quiet for a while, not trusting himself to speak. He had never been angrier in his entire life and he found himself being grateful Sam was already dead.

She turned to face him, smiling softly and reaching out to touch his cheek. "I don't feel scared with you. I have never believed that you would hurt me." The look in his eyes broke her heart. He looked so lost and afraid and she hated herself for ruining the moment again.

"I'm sorry I keep fucking everything up," she sighed, closing her eyes. "This is just all so new, and it's just going to take a little while. But it has nothing to do with you, okay?" She looked into his eyes, seeing the concern there and cupped his face in her hands. "I promise, I'm okay. And I promise I want this. It's just going to take some practice," she said, smiling seductively at him.

He couldn't help but smile back before closing his eyes and inhaling deeply.

"I'm so sorry, Norma. For everything you've had to deal with."

She leaned toward him, pressing her forehead against his. "It's okay. It's in the past. I don't want to let this rule me anymore. I trust you," she whispered, kissing him gently. "Can we try again?" she asked, pulling away to meet his gaze.

He sighed, his eyebrows pulling together and he looked like he was in physical pain. "Norma, I'm so lost here. I never know what to do and I'm trying to respect you. I just don't want you to feel like I'm taking advantage of you."

She climbed on top of him, straddling his hips and stared down at him. "I have never felt taken advantage of with you. I want this. I swear to you that I do. I know it will be good with you and I know that you would never hurt me. I just want you so much and I've never felt this way before. I can't get enough of you."

He moaned as she rubbed her heat against his cock. He flipped them over so he was cradled between her legs. Reaching down, he guided himself inside her for a moment, needing the friction to keep himself sane.

"Are you absolutely sure you want me to do this?" he groaned, staring straight into her eyes.

"Yes. Yes, I'm more than sure," she gasped.

He pulled out of her and climbed back down her body, placing feather-light kisses across her hips. She moaned softly, the pleasure evident in her voice this time. He worshipped her, taking his time and being as gentle as possible. He kissed her thighs and stomach being careful to avoid where she needed his mouth the most.

"Tell me what to do," he breathed against her clit when he couldn't take any more of the teasing.

"Kiss me there," she moaned and he obliged, as tenderly as he could.

"More Alex," she sighed, placing her hand on his head.

He began to lap at her, long slow strokes that had her bucking beneath him. His instinct was to hold her hips down as she writhed but her story came flooding back into his mind and he reached for her hand instead, intertwining their fingers together.

She wanted so badly to let go, to forget her fears and be completely in this moment. And while it felt so absolutely amazing, she could feel the panic rising in her throat. Her whole body tensed under his touch and she opened her eyes to remind herself that it was Alex's tongue against her and not Sam's.

"Look at me," she whispered and his eyes flicked up to hers as he continued kissing her.

A wave of calm came over her body as she saw the tenderness and love in his eyes and her head dropped back against the pillow, her body relaxing against the bed.

As the minutes stretched on, she could feel herself building toward her climax. The fear took over again and she reached for his face. "Come here," she begged, pulling at his chin.

He stopped immediately and settled himself above her. He pushed into her slowly and sighed against her throat. "Harder, Alex. Don't stop," she moaned when he slowed his movements, allowing her to adjust to the intrusion.

He picked up the pace immediately, thrusting frantically into her as she squeezed his hips between her thighs. She clung to him desperately as he took her higher. It didn't take long before they reached their peak, professing their love to one another and biting into flesh when the pleasure was too intense.

After a few moments, he took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles. "Thank you, Norma."

"For what?" she sighed, sleepily.

"For so many things. But mostly for trusting me."

She smiled, stretching up to kiss the tip of his nose. "Thank you for being trustworthy."

"You're welcome," he laughed and hugged her tightly against his chest. "Goodnight, baby."

"Goodnight," she yawned. "I love you."

His eyes drifted closed and he kissed the top of her head. "I love you too."


	7. Chapter 7

Norma woke to a soft gray light streaming through the window. She felt as though she were still dreaming as she tried to recall the events of the previous evening. Had she really told Alex everything last night? Did he really stay? And even more surprising, did he really make love to her after everything she said?

Her eyes fluttered open and she turned her head to the side, suddenly afraid it really was all a dream. A surge of relief coursed through her as she saw him sleeping soundly beside her.

She couldn't help the face-splitting grin that stretched across her face as she reached out to stroke his cheek. He stirred slightly but after a few moments, his breathing grew heavy again.

She stretched up to kiss his cheek, earning her a faint groan; the sound sending waves of desire through her body. Lifting the sheet, she threw her leg over his hips and straddled him. "Alex," she said in a sing-song voice, her lips ghosting over his.

His arms immediately wrapped around her waist and he inhaled deeply, a smile appearing on his face. "Good morning, Norma," he whispered, his eyes still closed.

She giggled, bending down to kiss his lips and he melted into her touch, moaning softly and squeezing her tighter against him.

When she pulled away, his eyes drifted open and he gazed up at her sleepily. "Good morning," she replied, smiling sweetly at him.

"Can we stay here forever?" he asked, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

She laughed. "Well maybe not forever, but we can at least stay here all morning. Natalie's already down in the office so I don't need to go down for a while."

He beamed at her, rolling her onto her back. "Well, in that case…"

Giggling, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. Her knees came up beside his hips and he lowered himself so she could feel him hard against her.

She broke off with a gasp and he smirked at her before bending down to kiss her neck. She reached a hand down to grasp him, and he bit down on her collarbone. "So eager, Mrs. Romero," he moaned against her throat.

"I told you, I can't get enough of you," she sighed.

Just as he tried to push into her, she rolled him over and rubbed herself against him.

His head dropped back against the pillow and he let out a ragged breath. Holding him in her hand, she raised up on her knees and rubbed the tip against her clit. He gasped, clutching her hips hard and stared up at her.

"Fuck," she whispered, her mouth dropping open as her eyes fell shut.

He watched her writhe above him, teasing him and pleasuring herself all at once. It was erotic and beyond perfect and he couldn't get enough. Her eyes opened and she reached behind her, pushing back on his knees. He took the hint, straightening his legs out on the bed and she bent down to pull his earlobe between her teeth.

"I want you in my mouth," she whispered in his ear.

"Jesus," he sighed, grinding himself against her and gripping her hair roughly.

She smiled before kissing a path across his chest. His head fell back onto the pillow and he gathered all of her hair gently in his fists as her lips and tongue travelled south.

When her hand wrapped around his length, she was suddenly overcome with love for him. She placed a gentle kiss against his hipbone and began rubbing him slowly. He let out a throaty groan, his fingers contracting and tangling further into her soft locks.

"I love you so much," she breathed against his cock.

He leaned up to see her face better and she met his gaze, her movements never slowing.

He smiled down at her, releasing one hand from her hair to stroke her cheek softly. "I love you too. I always have."

Keeping her gaze locked on his, she ran her tongue along the tip before taking him all in.

Resisting the urge to close his eyes, he watched her, his lips parting as he panted out strangled breaths. "Fuck, you're so sexy," he groaned.

She moaned as she picked up the pace, plunging down on him. He shuddered, his head falling back on the pillow of its own accord and he held her face in his hands.

"Yes, yes, yes," he sighed, his hips beginning to pump with the rhythm she had set. He felt his insides twist as he neared his release but he held off.

"Norma, I'm so close," he warned.

Ignoring him, she swirled her tongue around the tip while wrapping her hand around the base and stroked him relentlessly.

"Baby, baby—", he tried again, cut off as she sucked particularly hard. Every muscle in his body clenched as he tried to hold onto his sanity.

She didn't let up. Didn't want to let up. The strange thing was that she had always hated doing this and she especially hated when they came in her mouth. But with Alex, everything was different. She wanted it all. Wanted to share every moment with him. He made her feel safe in every sense of the word and she would spend the rest of her life making sure he knew how much she needed him.

The moment she plunged down as far as she could go and he bumped the back of her throat, he lost all sense of control. Spilling out into her mouth, he moaned her name desperately, clutching her hair in his fists as carefully as he could manage.

She released him with a pop, licking her lips and glancing up to see his eyes screwed shut; his face contorted in pleasure.

"Fuck," he panted as the aftershocks of pleasure wracked his body. She smiled softly, climbing back up the bed to hover above him.

She reached out to run her fingers through his hair and his arms wound around her waist, hugging her body tightly to his.

His eyes slowly opened and he gazed up at her, his expression serious.

"What?" she asked, turning her head to one side.

"Why did you do that?" he asked, reaching up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear.

She looked down at his chest, knowing instantly what he was referring to. "Because I wanted to," she said, avoiding his questioning stare.

"Norma, I don't know if you're telling me the truth or not but I don't want you to ever do anything you're uncomfortable with. You don't owe me anything."

She met his gaze immediately, her eyebrows knitting together. "I'm not uncomfortable. I wanted to do it because I love you. Because you deserve it."

He stayed silent, not fully convinced that she was being honest with him.

She loved that he was so concerned with her feelings but she was starting to get irritated. She sighed heavily, closing her eyes to gather her thoughts.

He waited, not wanting to distract her or push her to talk about things she didn't want to talk about.

"Alex. For the first time in my life, I'm doing what I want to do. I'm happy and I'm not doing anything out of obligation. I love that you care so much but I need you not to treat me like a wounded animal." She smiled softly at him, knowing her words had come off a bit too harsh and trying to clear the air a bit. "I'm okay… I'm more than okay. I'm perfect actually. And you make me happier than I can even put into words." She leaned down to press her lips firmly to his.

He smiled against her mouth, reaching up to hold her head in place. When she tried to pull away, he tightened his grip, opening his mouth to hers and pushed his tongue inside.

She moaned at the sudden sensation, surprised by his eagerness.

His lips left hers to begin an assault on her neck and she could feel him growing harder against her thigh. "I'm sorry," he whispered against the skin of her throat. "I didn't mean to treat you like a wounded animal."

Her breathing grew erratic as she rubbed her body against his. "It's okay. Just don't do it again," she teased, craning her neck to suck on his neck.

He flipped them over quickly and his hands flew to her chest, kneading the flesh as he bent down to kiss her hard.

"Alex," she sighed against his lips.

He pulled away, smiling at her. "So, does that mean you want me to be rough with you?" he asked.

Her heart hammered in her chest with anticipation and she couldn't help the delighted giggle that escaped her lips. "I thought you'd never ask," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Immediately, he reached back to grasp her wrists and pressed them against the pillow at either side of her head. A tiny part of her felt the familiar fear begin to resurface but she ignored it, reminding herself that this was Alex. Not to mention that she had just promised him that she wasn't broken or fragile.

She watched him carefully as he gathered her wrists in one hand, holding them above her head and reached down with the other to guide himself to her entry.

She wiggled away from him. "No, not like this," she whispered and he released her hands immediately.

"God, Norma. I'm sor—"

"No, no, that's not what I meant," she said, hating herself for scaring him.

He stared at her in confusion but she just smiled before slipping out from beneath him. She turned around, kneeling on all fours and looked back over her shoulder.

His heartbeat picked up in double time as she smiled seductively at him. "Are you sure?" he asked, incapable of much more.

She nodded and he immediately crawled toward her, holding her hips and kneeling behind her. She shivered as his hand brushed up her spine, reveling in the feel of her, his other hand squeezing her waist.

Her eyes fell shut, a tiny smile forming on her lips, feeling completely safe and secure in his arms.

"God, you're so beautiful," he whispered. And with that, he surged forward, burying himself inside her. Filling her, stretching her, consuming her in a way she had never experienced. She gasped, her back arching and her fingers gripping the pillow beneath her. It was a new sensation. Deeper, and not just physically. She felt emotionally connected to him like never before.

Sam had always hated this position, always wanting to watch her face. Wanting to hold her down and keep her under his control.

He slowly began moving inside her, pulling her hips back to meet his with every thrust.

"Harder," she moaned and he picked up the pace immediately, slamming into her.

His hand reached up to twist his fingers in her hair. Pulling her head back roughly, he reached his other hand around to rub her sensitivity.

He felt his release approaching quickly, watching her lose herself to a series of strangled cries and feeling her muscles clenching around him.

"A-A-lex…" she sobbed as she neared her release. His movements sped up, ploughing into her and flicking his finger frantically back and forth against her clit.

"Come for me, Norma," he demanded. Her moans grew louder and more desperate as she drew nearer and nearer. "Now, baby," he encouraged, bending over her body and biting down on her neck.

"Fuck!" she cried as it hit her, intense and blinding. Clenching around him so hard and pushing him over the edge.

Groaning against her neck, he thrust in and out of her frantically as he rode out the waves of pleasure.

When he came back to his senses, he slipped out of her, rolling onto his side and wrapped her up in his arms.

She sighed happily, snuggling deeper into his chest and he stroked her back absentmindedly.

"Norma?" he asked after their breathing had slowed.

"Mm?"

"Do you want to go out on a date with me?"


	8. Note to the readers!

Hey guys! I just wanted to thank you all so much for the comments! I always want to reply to your comments individually but it won't let me respond to the guest comments so I just wanted to take a moment to thank you all! Each one of your comments mean so much to me, you have no idea! It makes me really happy that people are so invested:) You guys keep me going! Love you all3


	9. Chapter 8

Norma laughed, lifting her head from where it was pressed against Alex's chest to look at him. "A date? I think it's a little late for that," she giggled.

He smiled slightly and nodded. "You're right, sorry."

She immediately picked up on the disappointment in his voice and reached up to stroke his cheek. "Of course I'll go on a date with you."

His eyes lit up and a smile spread across his face. "Really?"

She placed a gentle kiss on his lips. "I'd love to. What did you have in mind?" she asked when she pulled away.

"Well I have to go to that winter thing tonight and I was hoping you would come with me."

"What winter thing?"

"You know, downtown with all the lights and stuff… The winter festival," he smiled.

She began to feel a little nervous. Their bubble had been perfect but they hadn't been out together yet and she worried it might change things. But he sounded so hopeful that she couldn't resist him.

"Sounds lovely," she replied, snuggling back into his arms.

He squeezed her tighter, pressing a kiss to her head. "I have to go into the office for a few hours today and I was planning on leaving from there but I'll come back and pick you up first."

"No, that's okay. I'll just meet you there. You don't have to come all the way back here."

"Are you sure? I really don't mind, it's not that far."

"I'm totally sure. I was thinking about going to Portland to see Emma so I'm not even sure when I'll be back."

"Okay. How's Emma doing?"

"She's doing very well Dylan said. She's off the oxygen," she said with a wide smile.

He pulled back slightly to look at her. "Dylan?" he asked, a suspicious smile on his face.

"Yeah, he's been down there with her the whole time," she said, her eyes softening. His heart melted at the love in her eyes. She was different when she talked about her sons. She spoke softer and more thoughtfully and he could see with one look how much they meant to her.

"They're together?" he asked, unable to wipe the grin from his face.

"Apparently," she laughed before glancing down at his chest. "It's weird how people aren't at all together and then all of a sudden they are."

He watched her for a moment, waiting for her to meet his gaze and when she finally did, he took her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

"I love you, Norma."

Her eyes fell shut and she smiled softly. "I love you too."

He watched the way the light danced on the backs of her eyelids. The way it made her hair shimmer like gold. He fiddled with her fingers, feeling her soft, perfect skin against his and realized in that moment that he had never been happier.

"Come on," he said suddenly, throwing the sheet off his body and climbing out of bed.

Her eyes flew open and she sat up to stare at him. "Where are we going?" she asked, her eyes inadvertently drifting down his perfect body. She couldn't tear her eyes away as he walked around the bed toward her.

He smirked, reaching for her hand and pulled her out of bed.

"Let's take a shower," he whispered, twining his arms around her naked waist and pressed a kiss to her neck.

Her quiet moan quickly turned to a delighted squeal as he lifted her off the ground. Her legs wrapped around his hips and he stretched up to kiss her, swallowing her giggles as he walked them down the hall toward the bathroom.

...

She turned back and forth in front of the mirror, hating the dress she had chosen. Frustrated, she unzipped it hastily, tossing it across the room. After another 20 minutes of deliberation, she finally settled on a simple black dress with black boots and a grey fur-lined wool coat.

Her hands shook as she reached for her bag on the table by the door. She couldn't figure out why she was so nervous. Things had been going so well between them but for some reason, she worried about being in public together.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she walked out the door without a backward glance and headed for her car.

...

They twirled beneath the lights, staring deeply into each others' eyes. She wanted to enjoy the moment but the gnawing feeling of jealousy refused to pass.

"So who's Rebecca," she asked suspiciously, leaning toward him.

He smiled, avoiding her gaze and pulled her hand up between them, cradling it between their chests. "Just someone I knew before I met you," he answered dreamily.

Her eyes narrowed, as she tried to make sense of that. "Mmhmm."

He watched her for a moment, somewhat enjoying the jealousy.

"Remember when I first met you? On the porch outside the motel?"

"Yeah, my heart stopped," she replied, slightly irritated that he was trying to change the subject. "mostly because I thought you were going to arrest me," she continued.

"No, I missed that opportunity."

She laughed, swaying back and forth to the music and watched him carefully. Her smile faded and she looked at him expectantly.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Did you really think I would just let that go?" she asked, offering a smile to lighten the mood a bit.

"Norma, there's nothing between she and I. There never really was. She was just someone that helped pass the time. But it ended a long time ago," he said.

"When?"

"When what?"

"When did it end?" she asked.

He took a deep breath, trying to figure her out. "I don't know… Around the time I moved into the motel, maybe."

Her stomach dropped. She instantly felt sick but couldn't figure out why. It made her angry to think of them together, but it shouldn't make her feel betrayed. They weren't together then and she saw other men more recently than that. But she couldn't seem to shake one awful thought. "Did she… did she ever stay at the motel?" she asked, avoiding his eyes.

She realized then that they had stopped moving completely, but she couldn't will herself to continue dancing.

A few moments passed in complete silence and she couldn't help but look at him. He was watching her, a tiny flicker of guilt in his eyes that made her sure she knew the answer. She stepped away from him, looking around at the people that were all focused on them now. Most people looked away when she caught them staring.

He stayed still, though his instinct was to reach for her. To explain himself. But he wanted to give her space.

"I want to go home," she said suddenly.

"Okay," he replied.

 _Shit_.

She stared at him for another moment before nodding and turning to leave the dance floor. He followed her in silence until they finally reached the parking lot and he couldn't take it anymore.

"Norma," he sighed, reaching out and grabbing her arm.

She stopped immediately, turning back to look at him.

"What?" she asked nonchalantly.

He raised his eyebrows at her. "Are you mad at me?" His voice came off stronger than he intended.

She sighed, shifting her weight, her hands beginning to tremble. She could feel the tears threatening and she shook her head. "I don't know," she answered honestly.

"Well then can we talk about it?" he asked, softer this time.

"Not here, Alex. Can we just go home? I really don't want to be here."

He nodded slowly. "Yeah, let's go." He began leading her toward his car but she stopped.

"I'll meet you there," she said, sending him a halfhearted smile.

He considered suggesting she ride with him but quickly thought better of it. "Alright."

She leaned toward him, grabbing his upper arm and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.

When she pulled away, he smiled softly at her. He couldn't help but feel a tiny bit of relief even though he could still sense something was off.

He didn't move an inch as she walked to her car until she closed the door behind her.

He watched her the whole way home, his eyes burning holes into her rearview mirror. She was clearly avoiding his gaze and he could feel himself getting more and more anxious as they approached the house. His teeth ground together as he thought of Rebecca. Why the fuck did she have to be there. And why did she have to talk to Norma. He wished Norma could see how little he cared for Rebecca. She was such a nuisance to him and there were never real feelings involved on his end.

When he pulled up to the house, he climbed out quickly, meeting her at the top of the steps and reached for her hand.

"Norma, I'm so sorry that she was there. I'm sorry she talked to you and screwed things up. I know that sucked, but I promise you there is nothing between us."

She stared at him and he finally noticed the tear stains on her cheeks. His eyebrows knit together and he reached a hand up to cup her cheek. "Were you crying?" he whispered.

She leaned her head against his chest and he immediately wrapped his arms around her. She kept her arms at her sides but nuzzled her face under his chin, sighing out a frustrated breath.

"I don't know why this bothers me so much," she said. "I just really, really don't like her."

He smiled, hugging her tighter. She was adorable when she was jealous. "I know, Norma. I don't like her either," he laughed.

She pulled away, pushing her hair away from her face and looked at him sadly. "Why did you do that?"

"Do what?" he asked.

Her eyes flickered down to the motel and her expression turned to one of disgust. "Why did you bring her here?" Her voice was small and defeated.

"It was just the one time," he sighed. "It was the last time."

"But why here? Why did you have to fuck her in my motel room?" Her voice was growing louder and more agitated.

"Norma," he warned. "Why are we talking about this? It was a long time ago. Please don't let her get between us, she's not worth it."

They stood there staring at each other until she finally broke the silence. "It's cold," she snapped, walking around him towards the house.

He followed behind her, running a hand through his hair. She was so frustrating sometimes.

Just as she reached for the second door, his hands grabbed her hips and he spun her around, pushing her against the doorframe. She pushed against his chest but he only tightened his grip on the tops of her arms. "Stop," he said, staring straight into her eyes.

Her heartbeat picked up speed as she took in his intense gaze. She hated that she was turned on right now. She wanted to be pissed at him but he looked so unbelievably sexy.

"What's really bothering you?"

She closed her eyes, breathing in through her nose and leaned her head back against the wall. "I honestly don't know. I guess I just thought you liked me then and it sucks to know that you were fucking other people when I was just right here…"

He stared at her lips, wanting so badly to take her right there. But he knew she wouldn't be over this until he told her the truth.

"Not other people, Norma. Just her and just the one time." He took a deep breath before continuing. She had opened her eyes again and was watching him carefully. She felt sick to her stomach as she couldn't stop her mind from picturing it.

"And I did like you then. That's why I did it. It was the night that lawyer came by with flowers for you. I saw him go into the office and kiss you and it made me furious… I was confused. I couldn't figure out why it bothered me so much so I called her because I wanted to take my mind off it. But I couldn't stop thinking about you and I knew it wasn't fair to her. So I broke things off and made her leave."

Norma's eyes were wide as she stared at him. She couldn't believe he had seen her with George. She felt awful. How could she have been so pissed at Alex when she was doing the exact same thing?

He released her arms and stepped away from her. "I know that's not an excuse and I should never have invited her here. I'm really sorry but I didn't know what to do… I was never trying to hurt you and I never wanted you to know that. I never wanted you to meet her and I never wanted to see her agai—" he was cut off as she leaned forward and crushed her lips to his. He hesitated for a moment, shocked at the direction this had gone but quickly returned the kiss with equal fervor. He pressed her back against the door again and smiled against her lips.

She broke off to meet his gaze. "I'm sorry Al-" he cut her off, kissing her hard and she giggled, pushing halfheartedly against his chest. "Alex," she mumbled into his mouth.

He pulled away to kiss her neck and she unconsciously wrapped her arms around his back. "I'm sorry," she tried again. "I don't know what's –ah.." she gasped when his teeth found her earlobe. "—wrong with me…" she finished.

"Shut up," he breathed against her neck. His voice was low and sexy and it sent chills down her spine. She laughed, reaching behind her to open the front door.

She pulled back, reaching up to push his jacket over his shoulders. He helped her slide it down his arms as he leaned forward again to catch her lips in another heated kiss. When his arms were free, he opened her coat, reaching inside to wrap his arms around her waist. She pulled back a little, reaching a hand up to tangle into his hair. He watched her, slightly confused as she pushed against him.

"I wanna see you," she whispered, reaching for the light switch behind him. He laughed as she pulled him back against her, kissing his cheek. Something caught his eye and he turned away from her, ignoring her attempt to meet his lips. She followed his gaze and her eyes darted around the room, trying to make sense of the giant mess.


	10. Chapter 9

"Oh my god," Norma sighed, stepping out from where Alex had her pinned against the wall. Turning on the light in the living room, she finally saw the extent of the mess; her pictures knocked over, lamps shattered on the floor.

As Alex moved down the hall, fixated on the broken window at the end, he was suddenly all too aware of who was responsible. His hands balled into fists at his sides but he quickly recovered his composure as he heard Norma come around the corner.

"Who would do this?" she asked, breathing hard, and he reached out to pull her into his arms.

"It's okay," he breathed as he rocked her gently. They stood in the hall for a while, unsure of what to do.

Norma wracked her brain, trying to think of some kind of explanation for this. She hadn't pissed anyone off in a while. Her thoughts immediately went to Alex. Could someone be after him? Was he in danger?

As she looked around, it hit her. Of course it was about Alex. She tried to think back to earlier in the evening. When did she last see Rebecca? Where did she go after they talked?

Norma pulled back just enough to look in his eyes. "It was her, wasn't it?" she said through gritted teeth.

He stared at her for a moment. Should he lie? She probably wouldn't let it go until she figured it out anyway. And then she would really be mad at him. Eventually, he decided against it, closing his eyes and nodding. "I think so."

Taking a deep breath, she nodded. She tried as hard as she could not to get angry with him. It wasn't his fault.

She walked back into the living room to clean up, leaving him in the hallway. He decided it was best to leave her alone and went to work on reorganizing the table in the foyer.

They worked in silence for a while, though Alex kept an eye on her, waiting for her inevitable freak out. But she kept her composure, silently stewing. He wasn't sure which was worse.

"Norma, why don't you let me finish up down here and you can go to bed?" he finally suggested.

She turned around slowly, shooting him an unreadable look. She walked toward him and reached for his hand. "Come to bed," she said, pulling him along with her.

He didn't respond, just set down the bag he was holding and followed her all the way up the stairs and into their room. "You sure you want me to sleep in here tonight? I can sleep in Dylan's room," he suggested.

She turned around, looking at him questioningly. "Why?"

He shifted his weight awkwardly. "I just thought you were mad at me. I thought you might want your space."

Her face softened and she turned around, motioning toward her zipper. "Will you help me?" she asked.

He stepped toward her and began unzipping her dress.

"I'm not mad at you, Alex. I'm just sick of talking about it. And I'm sick of her. I wish she would just leave us the fuck alone."

He smiled, placing his hand on her shoulder and leaning down to kiss her neck.

"Me too," he whispered against her skin. "I'll handle it," he said seductively, his lips ghosting across the length of her shoulder as his other hand drifted down her spine.

She shivered, tilting her head to one side to give him better access.

Her arm snaked around his neck as he continued placing soft kisses against her skin. He pushed the material over her shoulders, sliding the dress down her perfect body. She stepped out of it when it pooled at her feet and his arm wrapped around her stomach, pulling her hard against him. She moaned when his desire pressed against her ass and she pressed her hips back greedily.

He took her earlobe between his teeth as his hand drifted down her belly, his fingers teasing the edge of her panties. She grabbed his wrist and for a split second, he thought she wanted him to stop. He prepared himself to let her go but she pushed his hand insistently down her panties and opened her thighs slightly.

His heartbeat grew frantic as he slid his fingers against her wetness. Her mouth fell slack and she relaxed against him. He kept up the teasing, rubbing her gently but never quite giving her the right amount of pressure. Her grip on his arm tightened, her nails biting into his flesh and she moaned angrily.

"Alex," she whined and he smirked, pushing two fingers into her.

She cried out, her other hand shooting out to grasp the bedpost in front of her. He began pumping his fingers rhythmically, in and out, in and out, his thumb circling her sensitivity and she turned to kiss him hard. Their tongues wrestled for dominance and his desire was becoming painful.

She released his arm, reaching behind her to unzip his pants, all the while kissing him hungrily. He swatted her hands away when she couldn't manage to get the button open, and pushed his pants down. His hand slipped out of her panties and he knelt behind her to pull them off her legs. She stepped out of them instantly, panting for breath as he trailed his tongue up the back of one leg. He placed a tender kiss to her lower back before standing up straight and bending her over.

Her fingers wrapped around the post and she gripped it tightly, pushing her hips back to let him know she was ready. He held himself in one hand, rubbing the tip against the length of her sex, and gripped her hip with the other.

She moaned hungrily, her head falling back as he teased her, watching her lovingly. He still couldn't believe he was here, in this room with her; his wife.

His thoughts briefly flickered back to all the lonely nights he spent in the motel. All the times he saw her changing in her window and all the time he spent in the dark, imagining she was beside him. Imagining it was her hand wrapped around him instead of his own.

He reached for her bra, unhooking it and encouraging her to let it fall to the floor. Once her hands were back around the post, he gripped one of her breasts hard and guided himself inside her.

Her head fell forward, a gasp escaping her lips as she adjusted to his size. No matter how ready she was, it was always a shock when he filled her. He was bigger than anyone she had ever been with and she marveled at how right it felt to have him buried inside her.

He groaned in relief, bending over her body for a moment and sucked on her pulse point. "Ahh," she hissed, reaching back to hold his face to her neck. "Harder," she demanded hotly, pulling his hair to let him know what she meant.

For a moment, he was surprised; she usually didn't like when he left marks. But he wasn't complaining. He began thrusting into her slowly, his lips clamping down and sucking hard on her neck.

Her grip tightened in his hair and she mewled softly, pushing her hips back to meet his with every thrust. "Bite me," she sighed.

His teeth sank into her neck instantly and she cried out. "Harder, Alex," she begged.

"Norma, I don't want to hurt you," he panted, concern evident in his voice.

"You won't."

After hesitating for a moment, he picked up his speed and bit her harder than he ever normally would.

She screamed, throwing her head back as it hit her, clenching deliciously around him and he dropped his forehead to her shoulder, slowing his movements to keep himself sane. He pulled out of her suddenly, turning her around to face him and gathered her up in his arms. Laying her gently on the bed as the aftershocks of pleasure ripped through her, he climbed down her body. He threw her legs over his shoulders, and began to lap at her gently, every stroke making her body jerk beneath him.

"Alex," she moaned, her energy quickly returning and her arousal building again. She reached down to thread her fingers into his hair and he grabbed her thighs hard, knowing he would leave bruises.

"Come here," she panted and he immediately settled himself back on top of her, pushing into her immediately. He was close; this wouldn't last long at all. He pounded into her, leaning down to kiss the other side of her neck. She wrapped her legs tightly around his hips and dug her nails into his shoulders.

He sucked on her throat, biting down hard and soothing the sting with his tongue.

"I love you," he groaned, pulling back to kiss her lips.

"I love you too," she mumbled into his mouth before tangling her tongue with his.

A few final thrusts and he spilled himself into her, reaching down to flick his thumb frantically against her clit. She hit her peak again, sobbing against his temple as his breathing slowed and he quickly rolled them over so she could rest her weight on top of him. Holding her head against his chest, he traced patterns along her back while she slowly came back to him.

"Mm," she moaned, smiling and placing her hand on his chest. Her eyes opened when she felt the material of his shirt beneath her fingertips. He was still mostly dressed.

Slowly, she began unbuttoning his shirt and sat up, pulling him with her. He laughed quietly as she struggled to get his t-shirt over his head and finally helped her.

They settled back on the mattress, tangling their limbs and he leaned down to kiss her. Their lips moved lazily together for a few moments, his hand cupping her cheek and her fingers massaging his chest, until he pulled back and looked at her neck.

He ran his fingers over the already aggressive bruise he had left there and looked at her apologetically. "Does it hurt?" he asked.

She giggled. "A little, but it's a good kind of pain," she answered.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, leaning down to place a soft kiss against the indent his teeth had made.

"Don't be. You should do it more often," she smiled, kissing his cheek.

He laughed, "Maybe I will." His lips found her jaw and she pulled him on top of her again.

He looked down at her, smiling mischievously. "You're insatiable," he sighed.

She smiled widely at him, rolling him over and climbing on top of him. "And you love it," she laughed, leaning down to kiss him.

...

When she woke the next morning, Alex was already gone. She checked the clock beside her and was surprised to see that it was 9:30. She almost never slept in this late. Although, to be fair, she wasn't used to all the sex. She wondered briefly when that would slow down. She hoped it never would.

Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she began remembering the events of the previous evening and brushed the hair away from her neck. She was pleasantly surprised to see the damage he had done. She looked like she had been attacked and there was a pleasant ache that reminded her why she had been so adamant about him marking her.

She quickly got ready and headed downstairs, pausing to notice that he had finished cleaning the living room. She smiled, making a mental note to thank him later that evening. She felt the familiar burn of anticipation between her legs but quickly rerouted her thoughts. She had something to do and she wasn't going to be sidetracked.

An hour later, Norma walked into the bank, her eyes darting around the room. A flicker of disappointment passed through her when she didn't see Rebecca but just as she was turning to leave, she heard her name.

"Mrs. Bates? Can I help you?" Rebecca asked.

Norma whirled around and put on the fakest smile she could manage. She tried not to make her hatred too evident as she approached her.

Hi, Becca," she said innocently.

Rebecca's eyes narrowed ever so slightly but her smile remained in place. "Rebecca," she corrected. "What can I do for you Mrs. Bates."  
"Mrs. Romero," she corrected in the exact same tone Rebecca had used. To Norma's great satisfaction, Rebecca winced slightly but otherwise kept her composure. "And I actually just wanted to come by because I think there's something we need to discuss."

"Oh? And what might that be?" Rebecca asked.

"Well, first of all, I wanted to let you know that I know exactly what you did last night. And please don't waste either of our time pretending you don't know what I'm talking about." Rebecca's smile disappeared completely and she stared at Norma in complete shock. "I wanted you to know that I will not press charges."

They stared at each other for a moment, Norma basking in the evident fear on her face and waiting for her to respond.

Rebecca cleared her throat, standing up straighter. "Is that all?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.

"Just one more thing," Norma continued, leaning toward her, all previous pleasantries forgotten. "If I ever see you near my house or my husband again, things will not be good for you. Do you understand me?"

Rebecca continued to stare her down, a million things she wanted to say back on the tip of her tongue, but she thought better of it. Hesitantly, she nodded.

"Great," Norma responded, reaching up to push her hair behind her ear. Rebecca glanced up to see the mess Alex had made of her neck and quickly looked down. But not before Norma saw the jealousy burning in her eyes.

She smiled to herself and headed for the door. "Oh, I almost forgot," Norma replied, turning back to see Rebecca frozen in place. "My husband and I would like to open a joint checking account so we'll be back tomorrow to fill out the paperwork." And without a backward glance, Norma left.


	11. Chapter 10

**Sorry this is a shorter chapter but I just wanted to update because I know it's been a while! Thanks for being patient:)

As Norma drove away from the bank, she couldn't wipe the smile from her face. She felt so strong and powerful and she needed an outlet for the excitement she felt. Before she had even made a conscious decision, she was pulling up outside the station, flipping down the mirror to check that she looked okay before heading inside.

"Hi Regina," she said with a smile. "Is my husband in?"

"Yeah, I'll get him for you," she replied, picking up the phone to call him. "Sheriff, your wife is here."

Norma's stomach filled with butterflies and she fidgeted with her keys while she waited. Regina smiled, pressing a button and nodding toward the door. "You can go in."

"Thanks," she said before heading for his office. When she opened the door, he was just standing up from his chair and he smiled widely.

"Hi, baby. What a surprise," he said, reaching out to her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and melted against him. "Everything okay?" he asked, suddenly feeling concerned.

"Mm, more than okay," she responded before pressing a heated kiss to his neck, toying with the buttons on the front of his shirt. She immediately felt him tense up, his heart beginning to beat more frantically as he realized what she was doing.

"Norma…" he said, his tone hesitant.

She pulled back, smiling wickedly at him, unraveling herself from his hold and walked to the windows. She began pulling the shades down and Alex watched her, not believing this was really happening.

"I-uh…" he began nervously, stopping himself when he couldn't think of an excuse. His pants grew tighter as she stalked back toward him - a predator after her prey - her hand reaching out to press against his chest as she pushed him back towards the door. His hands shot out to grasp her hips, pulling her hard against him when his back hit the wall.

She leaned in, her lips hovering just centimeters from his as she reached beside them to lock the door.

He smiled mischievously at her, his breath hitching in his throat when she pulled at his belt buckle.

"I need you," she whispered, brushing her lips softly against his.

"I need you too, Norma. Always," he replied, his tone playful but his eyes serious. His hand came up to wrap around the back of her neck, holding her still as he placed soft plucking kisses to her lips. Her breathing grew erratic as she felt him hard against her pelvis, the innocence of their kiss strangely adding to the intensity of the desire pooling in her panties.

"How do you want it, Norma?" he breathed and she pulled back a little to look at him questioningly. His eyes raked over her body, settling on the space above her collarbone and he reached out to push the fabric of her dress over her shoulder. Leaning down, he whispered against her skin, his breath raising goosebumps.

"Should I take you slow or rough? Should I bend you over the desk and take you from behind or should I fuck you against the wall?" he asked, his voice low and seductive and she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, biting down hard to stifle her desperate moan.

"So many options…" he sighed, reaching up under her skirt to pull her panties down her legs and ran his tongue down the column of her throat.

"I want it rough," she answered breathlessly, her fingers tangling in his hair pulling him further into her. "Please," she begged.

He yanked her zipper down immediately and he sucked on her neck. She winced slightly when he bit down on the bruise he left the night before.

"Oh, baby I'm so sorry," he said, pulling back to look at her in concern. "I totally forgot."

She laughed, reaching out to unbutton his shirt. "Don't be sorry. It feels good."

He smiled softly at her, leaning in to place the lightest kiss he could manage against her tender skin and she moaned happily.

He slid the dress down her body, his movements slower and more labored, letting it pool on the floor below her.

"Alex," she whimpered impatiently, pulling his hair.

He groaned, shrugging his shirt off his shoulders and letting it fall with her discarded clothing. He spun them around so her back was against the wall, stepping back slightly to admire her standing before him in just her bra. When his gaze met her eyes again, he dropped to his knees, reaching behind her knee to pull her leg up over his shoulder.

She panted down at him, her face turning red with anticipation as he swiped his fingers along the length of her sex. Finding her wet and ready, he stared up at her as he took his finger into his mouth, tasting her desire.

He moaned softly, whispering, "you taste amazing," before burying his face between her legs. She cried out, as his tongue dipped inside her and he pulled back to look at her seriously. "Quiet," he purred and her head dropped back against the wall, her fist pressing against her mouth to keep her noises to a minimum.

Her other hand twisted into his hair, tugging painfully as he devoured her. She began circling her hips with his movements and when he slipped two fingers inside her, she dug her fingernails into his shoulder.

"Fuck, Alex," she whispered breathlessly. "Don't stop, don't stop," she repeated as she felt herself building quickly. He smiled, squeezing her ass to pull her closer. When his lips closed around her clit and he sucked hard, she threw her head back, sobbing as quietly as she could manage and bit into her hand.

He stood up, wrapping his arms around her and carried her over to his desk, clearing off a space before setting her down on it. Her head rested against the crook of his neck and he held her as she came down.

When she had fully recovered, she reached out, tugging his belt out of the loops and pushing his pants down. He stepped out of them before spinning her back around and bent her over the desk. "Do you still want it rough?" he asked, brushing her hair to one side so he could see her face.

"Yes," she whispered, smiling over her shoulder at him.

With no further warning, he surged forward, twisting her hair in his fingers and pulling her head back. "Ahh," she cried out as her hips slammed into the desk.

"You okay?" he ground out as he began thrusting slowly.

"I'm fine. Harder, Alex," she demanded.

He squeezed her hip tightly, using the leverage to pull her back against him as he fucked her. She gripped the edge of the desk, pushing herself up on her forearm to change the angle. His foot slipped between hers, pushing her legs further apart as he picked up the pace and she whimpered softly.

His grunts of pleasure picked up in volume and she turned to look at him again. "Quiet," she smirked and he leaned forward to catch her lips with his. Her arm wrapped around his neck and she slipped her tongue into his mouth.

"Fuck, Norma," he whispered. She grabbed his hand pulling it up to cup her breast and he immediately reached into her bra, pinching her nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

"Baby, I can't hold off any longer," he warned, his throat suddenly becoming dry as he desperately tried to suck in air.

"Let go for me," she moaned. He fell forward as the pleasure took over his body and bit down on her shoulder blade a little too hard, drowning his desperate groans in her soft skin.

She gritted her teeth against the pain, smiling when he made up for it by pressing his lips to every part of her skin that he could reach.

He slipped out of her gently, leaning down to pick up her dress and handed it to her. She turned toward him, smiling contentedly and watched him get dressed.

"So," he began, returning her smile before pulling her chin upwards and kissing her lips. "What was all that about?"

She thought about it for a moment. Would he be mad that she threatened Rebecca? Should she tell him or would it ruin this moment between them?

"I, uh, went to pay Rebecca a visit today…" she finally said, watching him to gauge his reaction.

His expression shifted slightly, surprise evident in his eyes, but otherwise stayed relatively collected. "You did, huh?"

She nodded shyly at him and began pulling her dress back on.

"How did it go?" he asked, turning her around to help her with the zipper.

When she turned back to him, he looked at her expectantly.

"It was great. I don't think she'll be bothering us again anytime soon," she replied, smiling triumphantly.

His eyes narrowed, a tiny smile playing on his lips. "Oh yeah? What makes you think that?"

"I told her that if I ever see her around you or our house again, things will not be good for her. I think she wanted to say something but then she saw this," she said, pointing to her neck. "Seemed to shut her up pretty quickly."

His eyes widened and he shook his head at her. "That's why you wanted me to do that!" he laughed. "You're crazy, you know that?"

She grinned at him, leaning in to kiss him quickly. "Yeah, I know," she giggled. "Well, I'll let you get back to work," she said sadly, grabbing her bag off the floor.

"Wait," he said, grabbing her arm to spin her back around. His lips crushed hers once more and she smiled, loving that he seemed just as upset to be separated from her.

"You're amazing," he whispered, his eyes sparkling as he stared into hers. "I'm the luckiest man in the whole world."

She smiled, reaching out to stroke his cheek. "So, does that mean you want to do this again sometime?"

He laughed, wrapping his arms around her. "Yes, please."

"I'll see you tonight," she smiled, kissing him once more before turning for the door. Just before she walked out, she turned around, flashing him a mischievous smile. "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. We're going to the bank tomorrow to set up our joint checking account with Rebecca," she giggled.

He shook his head, smiling widely. "Crazy," he muttered, lovingly and she winked before walking out of his office.


	12. Note to Readers

Hey guys! I just wanted to say I'm so sorry for the delay in posting the next chapter. I've been going through a really hard time and haven't been up to writing. But I want you guys to know that I'm not done with the story and I will be working on the next chapter over this next week. I will try to update soon but I can't give any specific day yet. Thank you so much for your patience!


	13. Chapter 11

Norma pulled up outside the Sheriff's station the next afternoon, reaching for her phone as soon as she had parked. "Ready?" she started to type just as Alex came out the front doors.

She smiled widely as he walked toward the car, rolling down her window to whistle at him. "Need a ride?" she called out, flirtatiously.

"Sure," he replied, glancing around nervously before rushing to the car and climbing inside. He leaned toward her suddenly, lowering his voice to a whisper, "But we better hurry before my wife sees me with such a sexy woman."

She giggled, reaching for his collar and pulling him to her, kissing him deeply. He smiled against her lips, his hand resting on her waist.

"Well, we couldn't have that," she smirked as she leaned back and pulled out of the parking lot. "How's work going?" she asked as they turned onto the main road and his fingers intertwined with hers.

He pulled her hand up to his lips, kissing it softly and she couldn't help the smile that broke out on her face. "Miserable," he groaned, biting down softly on the back of her hand. "I just want to be home with you."

Her heart fluttered but she kept her eyes on the road. "You'll be fine, Sheriff. You lasted this long without me," she teased, squeezing his hand gently.

"Barely," he replied, his tone whiny as he glanced out his window.

When they pulled up outside the bank, he took a deep breath and turned towards her, opening his mouth to speak but she quickly swerved towards him, kissing him hungrily. Her fingers twisted into his hair and for a moment, he forgot where he was. He moaned, one hand coming up to hold the back of her head as the other slid up her thigh and under the skirt of her dress.

She broke off breathlessly as his fingers brushed over the lace of her panties, her eyes half-lidded and her pupils blown wide.

"What was that for?" he asked, a smile in his voice.

"I just love you. So much," she whispered, her eyes dropping from his. She was still not used to saying that and he could see the uncertainty on her face.

His hand slipped out from under her dress and he reached up to cup her cheeks, waiting for her to meet his gaze. When she finally looked up, he was smiling wider than she had ever seen him smile before. Her heart stuttered and she melted into his embrace, tilting her head a little and grinning at him.

"I love you too Norma. More than you will ever know," he said before leaning in to kiss her softly once more. "Well I guess we should get this over with," he sighed as his hands fell away from her face.

"Yeah," she said, with a mischievous smile.

He shook his head, chuckling softly. "You're going to enjoy this, aren't you?"

"You have no idea," she teased, climbing out her door eagerly and meeting him on the sidewalk. Her hand found his and she leaned her head on his shoulder as they walked through the front doors of the bank. He couldn't help but nuzzle into her, feeling a little guilty at how blatantly they were flaunting their relationship. But, on the other hand, Rebecca deserved it.

Norma raised her head from his shoulder, looking around the room when a woman called out to them. "Can I help you?"

They both turned to see a young woman behind the counter, smiling widely at them. Norma returned her smile, walking toward the counter. "Actually, we were hoping to speak with Rebecca. Is she in?"

"Ms. Hamilton is on her lunch break. She should be back in about 15 minutes. Is there something I can help you with?"

"Oh," Norma replied, disappointment evident in her voice. "No, we really can't do this without her. We'll just wait here until she gets back."

Alex smiled, leaning down to kiss the top of her head.

Norma dragged him along behind her to a waiting area, sitting down in a chair and huffing out an irritated sigh.

"What?" he asked, clearly amused.

"She did that on purpose," she seethed.

"Who?"

"Rebecca. She knew we were coming here."

He laughed, squeezing her hand in his. "Norma, she's on her lunch break. It's lunchtime. I don't think this was deliberate."

"Well, whatever. She knew what she was doing," she sighed, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

He leaned toward her, burying his nose in her hair and smiling contentedly. She inadvertently leaned into him, relaxing into his touch. She hated that he had that power over her when she wanted to be mad.

"As much as I love to see you jealous, I really wish you wouldn't let her get to you," he said. His voice dropped to a whisper and his tone turned much more serious. "She means nothing to me."

"I'm not jealous!" she said, pulling away from him and leaning back in her chair. "I just don't like when people think they can have what's mine. And she broke into my house. I think I have a right to hate her."

"Of course you have a right to hate her. But don't you think you said enough the other day? Why do you have to stoop to her level?"

She shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest. He watched her for a moment more before leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees and his head falling into his hands.

She glanced at his back, silently beginning to panic as he ran a hand roughly through his hair. They sat in silence until the front door swung open and Rebecca stepped inside. She didn't notice them at first and they watched as she walked to her office, the young woman from behind the counter trailing after her. She caught up to her just before they turned the corner and pointed toward Alex and Norma, speaking just low enough that they couldn't hear.

Rebecca's head snapped up and she looked between them, her expression horrified before she rearranged her features and plastered a fake smile on her face.

Norma waved at her before turning to Alex and taking his hand. "I know you're mad, but can you just play along until we leave?" she whispered.

He nodded, fixing a smile on his face and standing up, pulling her with him.

They followed Rebecca into her office, arm in arm and the moment she closed the door, Norma turned to her. "Hi Becky. It's good to see you again," she said sweetly.

"Rebecca," she corrected, harsher than she meant to, her eyes narrowing but her smile staying in place.

"Oh, sorry. I don't know why I just can't get it right," Norma laughed.

Alex rolled his eyes just before Rebecca glanced over to him. He turned back to Norma and wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her tight against his side.

"So what can I do for you two?" Rebecca asked, walking around the desk and motioning for them to sit.

"Well, like I said yesterday, we'd love to open a joint checking account."

Rebecca's eyes fell to where they're fingers where twining together but quickly turned to her computer. "Sure, we can definitely do that for you," she replied through gritted teeth and Norma couldn't help the pride that rushed through her. She nuzzled in to the crook of Alex's neck, absentmindedly running her fingers up his arm and he rested his cheek against the top of her head.

For the rest of the transaction, Rebecca avoided looking at them and stayed as pleasant as she possibly could, only faltering when Norma called Alex "babe".

As they left her office, Alex reached out for Rebecca's hand, shaking it professionally and smiling.

"Thank you for all your help Ms. Hamilton," he said pleasantly and pulled Norma toward the door.

"Thanks again," Norma called over her shoulder, wrapping her arm tightly around Alex's waist.

Rebecca didn't respond, just watched as Alex helped Norma into her side of the car before walking around to climb in.

As soon as they were out of sight of the bank, Alex released Norma's hand and leaned against his door, staring passively out the windshield.

Norma chanced a glance at him and could see that he didn't look mad. He looked hurt.

"Look, I'm really sorry that I got mad at you. It's not your fault, I was just annoyed," Norma said softly, reaching out to touch his knee.

She relaxed a little when he didn't pull away from her but he continued to stay silent.

"Alex?" she whispered when she couldn't take it any longer.

He turned to her, and when she met his gaze, something had changed in his expression. "Pull over," he said.

Her blood ran cold as she tried to decipher the edge in his voice. She couldn't pinpoint what he was feeling.

She pulled off the road, preparing herself for whatever he was about to do. She knew he would never hurt her physically, but she couldn't stand to hear him yell at her.

"Turn down that path," he demanded, and she followed his instruction, driving to the edge of the path until they were almost completely shielded by trees.

There was no one around and her hands began to tremble. What is this? She wondered, too afraid to look at him.

"Turn off the car."

She reached up slowly, avoiding his heavy gaze and turned the key. The silence in the car was deafening and she cowered slightly, her heart beating wildly in her chest.

Suddenly, he slid toward her and her eyes fell shut. This is it. She knew it was a matter of time before something set him off and he showed his true colors. All men were the same. They all eventually turned violent.

She flinched when his fingertips made contact with her jaw. He trailed his fingers along her skin, pulling her hair back to expose her neck and his lips brushed the shell of her ear.

"I'm only going to say this one more time and then I never want to talk about it again. Do you hear me?" he whispered. She shivered as his breath raised goosebumps on her neck. She nodded slowly, swallowing thickly as his hand dropped to her thigh. Suddenly, he pulled her legs apart, his hand drifting up her thigh and pulling her dress up as he went. She gasped sharply at the unexpected direction this had taken.

"I feel nothing for her. I never did. She was just a distraction because I could never get you off my mind. You have always been and will always be the only one for me."

She met his gaze, her eyes filling with tears and her lip trembling.

His eyebrows knitted together as he finally registered the fear in her face. "Are you scared of me?" he asked, his hand stopping dead in its tracks.

"No," she sniffled.

"Norma, don't lie to me. What did you think I was going to do?"

The tears spilled over onto her cheeks and she let out a quiet sob. His hands flew to her face and he pressed his forehead to hers, holding her as she cried. "Oh baby, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he whispered soothingly and she clutched him tightly, letting her head fall to his shoulder. His hand went around to hold the back of her head and he squeezed his eyes shut.

"I will never ever hurt you. I will never touch you unless you want me to. I'm so so sorry."

She sniffled softly, pulling back just enough to crush her lips to his. He kissed her back hungrily and she threw her leg across his lap, straddling him. She broke off and stared deep into his eyes. "Touch me," she sighed, desperately. He hesitated for half a second before his hands reached up her dress and he pulled her panties to one side.

She raised herself up on trembling thighs as his fingers made contact with her folds.

"You're so wet," he moaned, teasing her entrance with the rough pads of his fingers. Her head dropped back with a sigh and he pressed a kiss to the column of her throat.

She clutched his shoulders and dropped her hips, rocking against him. He groaned, thrusting against her and she brought her face to his again. She looked deep in his eyes, reaching between them to unbuckle his belt and yank his zipper down. He shifted in the seat, wrapping an arm around her waist to hold her up as he shimmied his pants down his legs just far enough to free himself. She grasped him tightly and he panted against her ear as she lined him up.

She lowered herself onto him and they both let out a contented sigh.

"I love you," she breathed against his ear as she began to pick up the pace.

His forehead pressed against her collarbone as his fingers dug into the sensitive skin of her hip, holding her in place. "Say it again," he whispered as she slowed her movements so she could feel every inch of him as he slid in and out.

She sighed, a smile in her voice and twisted her fingers into his hair, tugging roughly. "I love you," she moaned. He nipped her earlobe, groaning against her ear. "Again," he growled.

She dug her fingers into his shoulders when he lifted her and pulled out completely, holding himself in hand and rubbed his rock-hard length against her oversensitive clit. "I love you. God, I love you!" she cried.

He smiled up at her, looking her right in the eye as he teased her. "I never get tired of hearing that," he sighed. She tried to keep her eyes on his but the sensations were too much. She began to shake above him, dying to feel him back inside her.

"Alex, please… I need you," she begged and he bit into her bottom lip, tugging it gently as he continued to rub her. She let out a frustrated moan as she could feel herself building to her release. "Alex!" she warned.

He reached up suddenly, tangling his fingers into her hair and forcing her to look at him. "I will always love you," he vowed letting her drop down on him. She moaned out his name, and reached up to grab the handle on the roof of the car. She picked up the pace, snapping her hips back and forth as he yanked the zipper on the back of her dress down.

As she shrugged her shoulder out of one side of her dress, he pulled the cup of her bra down, latching his lips to her nipple. She cried out, shuddering in his arms as she drew nearer to her release. "Fuck," he sighed and she fell forward against his body, coming around him with so much force that a tear sprung from her eye as she bit his neck hard enough to draw blood.

He let out a strangled yelp as he released inside her, thrusting his hips as fast as he could and groaned desperately against her skin. He moaned as his movements slowed and he held onto her as tightly as he could.

"Mm," she moaned, her voice shaking. She hugged him tightly, laughing softly in his ear. "Does this mean I'm forgiven?"

He kissed the side of her face. "Always," he breathed against her ear.


	14. Update Tomorrow!

Hey guys! Just wanted to let you know I will be updating tomorrow! I have 2 finals today so I've been studying like crazy but I promise there will be a new chapter by tomorrow at the latest! Love you all3


	15. Chapter 12

He knew he was dreaming. Was very familiar with this dream. The kind that left you paralyzed, useless, as you relived that moment which broke you so many years ago. He couldn't shake the torment that paralyzed his body as she sat so still in front of him, her eyes glazed over. He was powerless to stop what he knew she was about to do. Frozen in the middle of the room as he watched his mother raise the handful of pills to her lips.

"Mom," he called out to her, his voice echoing through the room, though she ignored him. Or maybe she couldn't hear him. Had he really said anything at all? His lips felt heavy and his words were muffled when he spoke again.

"Stop!" She was oblivious to his presence, her body collapsing to the floor in seconds, limp and lifeless. He squeezed his eyes shut against the tears that felt like acid, burning him. Falling to his knees, he began to crawl toward her but stopped dead in his tracks when he realized it wasn't his mother's corpse before him. When his eyes adjusted, he could finally see those familiar blonde curls splayed out around her peaceful face. He couldn't breathe as he scrambled to her side. "Norma?" he sobbed. "Baby, wake up," he whispered, reaching for her hand, but feeling it dissolve as her body turned to ash the moment he made contact. "Baby, come on. You're okay, you're okay," he cried hopelessly as he gathered her ashes into his arms.

"Alex," she called through the haze, her voice a million miles away. He whipped around, trying desperately to find her.

"Alex."

He jumped to his feet, running down the hall. "Norma, where are you?" he called out.

"Honey, I'm right here," she whispered, her voice so close, he could feel her breath on his skin. He spun around, gasping with relief when he finally saw her. Her eyes were clouded, the once vivid blue, now closer to white. He reached for her, but his hand passed through her body and she disappeared only seconds later. "Norma," he sobbed, keeling over in anguish and falling to the floor.

He sat up suddenly, his eyes flying open as he gasped for breath.

She wrapped her arms around his upper body as his head fell into his hands. "It's okay. I'm here, I'm here," she whispered, rubbing his back slowly. "I'm here, honey. You're okay, everything's okay."

She fought back the tears that were suddenly choking her. It was excruciating to see him so afraid, so weak.

After what felt like a lifetime, he finally straightened up, taking a deep, steadying breath before turning back to her.

Her hands found his face, wiping the tears from his cheeks. "Oh baby, I'm so sorry," she sighed, pressing her forehead to his.

"Norma?" he whispered.

"It's me baby. I'm here."

His shoulders relaxed as he slowly came back to reality and his arms twined around her waist. After a few moments, his fingers dug into the skin of her lower back and he pulled her towards him, kissing her fiercely.

"Alex," she mumbled against his lips. A mumble that was initially intended to soothe him, but when he pulled her beneath him and spread out on top of her, she couldn't help but wrap her limbs around him. It was only when he began to climb down her body, pushing up the silk skirt of her nightgown as he went, that she came back to her senses.

"Alex," she breathed, in an attempt to get his attention. He continued on, though, sliding the material up over her stomach, clearly mistaking her resistance for desire. "Alex," she tried again and he looked up at her with an expression so broken and devastated that it stopped her dead in her tracks.

He bent down to kiss her stomach, his fingers trailing lightly over her hipbones and her head dropped back. _Oh screw it_ , she thought to herself. _He needs this._ But when he let out a strangled sob and clutched her hips tightly, pressing his forehead against her pelvis, her decision was made.

"Stop," she sighed and he immediately kneeled up on all fours above her and hung his head.

"I'm sorry," he said, so quietly that she wasn't sure he had said anything at all.

"It's okay, come here," she whispered, pulling him down on top of her and held his face against her chest. He rested most of his weight to her side, wrapping his arm around her waist and burrowing into her.

She turned towards him, wrapping her leg around his hip and her arm around his shoulder. "Talk to me," she pleaded, rocking him gently.

He breathed her in, his eyes falling shut as he listened to the sound of her heartbeat. "Your heart is racing," he commented.

"Alex, what were you dreaming about?" she continued, not allowing herself to be sidetracked.

He turned his face into her chest, exhaling deeply. "Ugh, I haven't dreamt about her in so long," he sighed.

"Your mother?"

He nodded, his mouth opening as he deliberately brushed his lips against her skin, sending shivers down her spine.

"What was the dream about?" she asked after a deep and steadying breath.

He shook his head slowly, brushing the tip of his nose against the top of her breast. "I don't want to talk about it," he answered and she clutched him tighter.

"That's okay."

"Norma?" he whispered.

"Mm?"

"I'm glad you're here," he sighed.

A smile crept onto her face and she kissed the top of his head. "Me too."

Her fingers drifted up and down the length of his spine. "I'll always be here," she added after a few moments of silence.

He lifted his head slowly, looking into her eyes. "Promise?" he whispered.

In that moment, she felt she understood him more than she ever had before. His worst fear was losing the person he loved and he needed the reassurance that she would never leave him. It made her feel her worth. For as long as she had known him, he had been the one to be there for her no matter what, to soothe her fears. And she finally knew what she could do to soothe his.

"I swear," she said firmly, her voice strong and sincere.

His smile warmed her body from head to toe and she couldn't help but lean down and kiss him.

"I need you," he sighed against her lips, kneeling above her again. Her hands brushed down his sides before grasping his waist and rolling him over. She sat back on her heels, reaching out to pull his boxers down. He lifted his hips as she pulled them down his legs and when he began to push her nightgown up her thighs, she stopped him.

He looked up at her in confusion but she simply smiled back, placing her hands on his chest. "Just relax," she whispered.

His eyes turned dark as he waited for whatever she had in mind. She leaned down, kissing his neck slowly and his fingers found her hair, twisting themselves into her soft locks. His breathing turned fitful as she rolled off of him and let her fingers drift down his body.

She continued her path as his erection grew and she leaned forward to brush her lips against his shoulder.

When her fingers touched - ever so lightly - the tip of his member, his eyes fell shut and he groaned softly.

She grasped him gently in her tiny hand, beginning to stroke him from base to tip and back down as his head fell heavily against the pillow. "Is this what you want?" She whispered, her lips brushing the shell of his ear.

"Yes," he hissed, his fingers twisting tighter into her hair as she picked up the pace. "God, Norma, you're killing me."

"Tell me what you want most right now," she sighed, placing soft kisses against the column of his throat.

"I want to make love to you," he groaned.

She smiled against his skin before reaching around to pull his face to hers. His eyes were half-lidded when he met her gaze, raw lust written all over his face and she leaned in to kiss him deeply. Her hand sped up as she slipped her tongue into his mouth and he gasped, biting her lip hard.

Suddenly, he grasped her wrist, breaking off the kiss to stare into her eyes. His gaze made her falter. She was almost afraid for a moment. His expression so desperate that she immediately felt a wave of anticipation and desire crash over her. He rolled her over, bunching her nightgown up around her waist and brushed his fingers against her folds. Finding her wet and more than ready, he took himself in hand and guided himself inside her.

They inhaled together as he pressed his way in as far as he could go. His forehead fell to her chest as he eased his way out and back in again.

He thrusted slowly, gently, worshipping her body and breathing her in. He hardly remembered his dream. With every stroke, he felt more at peace. Safe within her, and he marveled at the affect she had on him.

"Why do you have the magical ability to make me feel calm?" he sighed, as he continued on, lazily stroking deep within her.

She moaned as his thumb made contact with her sensitivity. "I need to tell you something," she breathed.

He slowed for a moment, but continued on, teasing her with every thrust.

"I- I'm actually magical," she moaned. "I'm a unicorn," she finished in a whisper.

He stopped moving, pulling back slightly to look in her eyes as he let out a surprised chuckle. "You're a unicorn?"

"What?"

"Is that what you just said?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she smiled, leaning up to press her lips to his again.

He laughed, kissing her before pulling back to look at her seriously.

"Well thank you. For being whatever it is you say that you are."

"You're very welcome," she giggled, wrapping an arm around his neck to pull him against her.

He picked up the pace a little, pressing his hands into the bed on either side of her to gain leverage. "I love you," he whispered, pounding into her.

"I love you," she replied simply, bucking up against him.

Their breathing picked up as they neared their finish. "So much," she whispered, before her breathing hitched and she dug her nails into his shoulders, coming quietly.

He released seconds later, rolling them over while still inside her and holding her tightly against him.

"Never leave me," he sighed.

"Never," she agreed, snuggling deeper into his chest, both of them falling into a dreamless sleep.


	16. Chapter 13

"Hun?" she called out from the bottom of the stairs. "Breakfast is ready!"

"Coming," he replied, appearing a second later with a beaming smile on his face.

She watched him descend the stairs, a flutter in her chest that made her bite her lip to keep her own ridiculous grin to a minimum. The moment he reached for her, though, she spun on her heel, glancing over her shoulder. "It's getting cold," she said, turning to lead him down the hall toward the kitchen.

He frowned at her back, suddenly feeling a sense of unease. "Hey," he whispered as he caught up to her, lightly grasping her wrist. "You okay?" he asked when she turned to face him.

She smiled sweetly, "Of course. Why do you ask?"

"Just making sure," he shrugged.

She leaned up to peck his cheek lightly before turning away from him again and heading for the kitchen table.

He sat beside her in his usual spot and as he began eating, he could feel her eyes on his face. He turned to her, and she met his gaze with worried eyes before rearranging her features into a dreamy smile.

Wanting desperately to ask what was bothering her, but ultimately deciding against it, he returned her smile and continued eating.

A few moments went by before her voice broke through his thoughts. "Will you tell me about your mother?"

He cleared his throat, setting his fork down on the plate, his eyes suddenly fixated on a tiny scratch on the surface of the table. "What do you want to know?" he asked, his voice low; barely audible.

She watched him carefully and reached out to brush her fingers over his temple before trailing them through his hair. "I want to know everything you feel comfortable telling me."

He smiled at his hands resting in his lap but stayed quiet.

She thought for a moment. "I mean, you did give me her ring. I just feel like I don't deserve it if I don't at least know her name."

Glancing up at her, he finally spoke. "Theresa Reyas."

Norma smiled softly at him. "That's beautiful."

"She _was_."

"We would have been friends."

He leaned toward her, allowing her arm to wind around his neck as she pulled him in for a kiss.

"I thought about that the night we met," he said, smiling as he pulled away.

"You did?"

"Yeah. You reminded me so much of her that night. So self-assured but still kind," he said, thoughtfully.

She watched him, waiting for him to continue. To give her some kind of insight into who she was. But he stayed silent. "Why not Romero?" she asked.

He met her gaze again after what felt like a long time and smiled softly. "What?"

"You called her Theresa Reyas. Why not Romero?"

"I don't like to remember her that way." He looked up at her, smiling despite the sadness in his eyes.

"What way?"

"Married to my father."

Her fingers absentmindedly tapped against the surface of the table as she tried to think of something to say.

"He was the reason she killed herself," he sighed.

She glanced up at him, her brows furrowed. "How so?"

He pushed his food around the plate, his eyes far away and she didn't dare move a muscle; afraid that he would snap out of it when she was finally getting him to open up. "He tormented her. He was so manipulative and got inside her head. He wore her down until she eventually went crazy."

Norma waited for him to continue. She sat patiently for several moments, and finally realized he wasn't planning to elaborate. "Thank you," she whispered, reaching for his hand under the table.

He looked up at her, confused. "What for?"

"For telling me this. I know that must have been hard for you," she smiled, threading her fingers through his and squeezed his hand reassuringly.

He chuckled. "Sorry it wasn't more. I just don't like to talk about that."

"I get it," she smiled, leaning forward to catch his lips with hers.

His hand flew to the back of her head as she tried to pull away and he held her there, deepening the kiss. Her fingers rested on his knee as she melted into his embrace, her tongue darting out to tickle his bottom lip. He took the hint, opening his mouth to tangle his tongue with hers. He broke off a second later, leaning his forehead against hers as their breathing slowed.

"I have to go to work," he whispered before pecking her lips lightly once more.

"Mmk," she mumbled, though she made no attempt to pull away from him. "You smell good," she sighed as she nuzzled her nose into his neck.

"So do you," he whined and she pulled back to see him pouting at her.

She giggled, reaching out to touch his lips. "What's wrong?"

"I want to stay here with you."

She glanced down at his lap, noticing the slight bulge there and smirked. "I can tell," she said, suggestively.

He raised his eyebrow at her, grazing his fingertips over the top of her thigh, subtly pushing her dress up.

"I want you to stay here with me too," she whispered and he met her gaze, stopping his movement when he saw the desire in her eyes. His body reacted to her and he immediately shot up from his seat, pulling her with him and lifted her onto the table in one motion.

She let out a delighted gasp and wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him hard against her center. They both moaned at the friction and his hands tangled into her hair, tugging her head back to look at him.

"I thought you had to go to work," she breathed as her hand worked its way under the waistband of his jeans; squeezing his ass roughly.

"We'll be quick," he growled, leaning in to nip her jaw.

Just as she reached for his belt, a shrill ring echoed through the room and they both jumped. Another ring sounded and Norma pushed him away gently, rearranging herself and he turned away to answer the phone.

He glanced over his shoulder at her as he reached for the receiver, shifting uncomfortably and trying to lessen the tension in his pants.

"Hello?" He heard nothing on the other end. "Hello?" he tried again.

"Hello, is my mother there?"

Alex almost dropped the phone when he heard that all too familiar voice on the other end. He whipped around, staring at Norma in shock. "Uh, yeah she's right here Norman," he said, and her eyes blew wide. She jumped down from the table and grabbed the phone from his hand. "Hi honey!" she turned to Alex, recovering herself quickly and smiling nervously at him.

Alex returned her smile, trying to ease her concern, though he suddenly felt sick to his stomach. _This can't be good_ , he thought to himself.

"Everything alright, mother?"

"Of course, why wouldn't it be?"

"Well, the Sheriff is there answering your phone so I just thought maybe you were in trouble or something," he said, accusingly.

She felt her hands begin to shake as she noticed the hostility in his voice. "No, no. He just stopped by to help me with the bathroom sink. It's leaking," she said; her voice rising several octaves and Alex watched her carefully. Norma turned her back to him. She wished she had let him leave when he originally said he needed to.

"Norman?" she asked after a long moment of silence.

"Mother, I'm coming home."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm coming home. As soon as I can," he said, irritation evident in his voice.

"Is that- is that something that you can just do?" she asked, twirling the cord around her hand.

"I signed myself in voluntarily. I can leave whenever I want."

Alex reached for Norma then and she turned to look at him. "What?" he mouthed to her and she stepped away from him.

"Has something happened Norman?"

"No. No, no."

"Well Dylan said you were doing really well. Don't you think it would be good to give it a little more time?" she questioned, trying to sound calm though she felt anything but.

"Doctor Edwards says I've made significant progress and it's time for me to come home… Is there some reason I shouldn't?"

"Of course not, I'm just surprised."

"I'll let you know when you can pick me up." _Click._

Norma let her hand fall limply at her side, the phone still in hand and she stared at the wall in front of her. She felt sick. She hadn't thought this through at all. What would happen when he came home? How would Alex react? Would he leave her? Would Norman freak out when he found out they were married?

She had almost forgotten Alex was in the room, so when he reached out to take the phone from her, she flinched. "Sorry," he mumbled, as he hung up the phone. "So, what was that about?" he asked, after clearing his throat.

Norma continued to stare straight ahead, her eyes glazed over. "Norman said he's coming home," she answered, robotically.

"Can he do that?"

"I guess so," she answered, her tone clipped.

"Do you think that's a good idea? He hasn't been there that long."

"I don't know, Alex!" she said, spinning around and walking past him out of the kitchen.

He listened as she half-ran up the stairs and slammed her bedroom door behind her. He stood in the empty room for a while, unsure what his best move was. She clearly wasn't ready to talk about it so he thought it best to just leave her alone.

He reached for the pad and pen beside the phone and scrawled a note on it before leaving for work.

Norma-

Let's talk more tonight. My day is fairly open so call me whenever you need to. I love you.

-A


	17. Suggestions Please

Hey guys! I've been having a hard time coming up with inspiration for my next chapter. I'd like to wrap it up over the course of a few more chapters but I was hoping to get some feedback! Where would you like to see the story go? And do you have any special requests for themes of chapters or even just a short scene? Please DM me if you have any ideas! I love you all and thank you in advance! 3


	18. Chapter 14

Alex sat at his desk for what felt like hours, his gaze flicking to the phone every few seconds, finally deciding to take matters into his own hands. He dialed her number, growing more and more agitated with each ring. "Hello, you've reached Norma Bates. Leave a message and I'll call you back."

He threw the phone down on the desk, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers, before regaining his composure and returning to his paperwork.

"Here's your key and please let us know if there's anything we can do for you," Natalie smiled, sending the guests out the door. She turned to Norma who was sitting at the desk in the office, staring out the window beside her.

"Mrs. Romero?" she said softly, but there was no response. "Norma? Are you okay?" she tried again. Norma's gaze flitted to hers and she immediately fixed a smile on her face.

"Yeah, I'm great!" she said in her most convincing voice. "Um do you think you could take care of the office for a few hours? I need to run out and do some errands."

"Of course. Take your time," Natalie smiled, turning back to the front desk.

Norma gathered her things quickly, dialing Alex's number as she headed for her car.

The phone stopped ringing immediately, but there was no voice on the other end.

Norma faltered, clearing her throat. "Alex?"

"What is it?" he said, an edge to his voice that froze her in place.

"U-uhm. I just wanted to apologize. You know, for earlier."

He let out a sigh, sounding exhausted by her. Her heart sank.

"It's fine, Norma. Look, I have to go, okay? I have a lot of work to do."

She opened the driver's side door, climbing into her car and starting it. "Alex, please don't be mad at me," she pleaded, her voice small and desperate.

"I'm not. I'm just busy, okay? I have to go. Bye." _Click._

She flinched, pulling the phone from her ear to stare at the blank screen in shock. The hurt she felt before immediately turned to anger. How dare he hang up on her. She threw the car in drive, peeling out of the parking lot a little faster than was necessary.

Alex smiled to himself as his phone buzzed agitatedly every few seconds. He turned back to his work, waiting for her to inevitably storm into his office. He couldn't wait.

Several moments later, he heard her voice, flustered and angry in the lobby. "I need to see my husband, Regina."

"He's busy," Alex heard from the other side of the door.

"I don't care, I need to see him. Let me in," she spat at her.

Alex chuckled quietly, pretending to go about his work as he heard the door buzz open. Seconds later, his door flew open and Norma stepped into his office, her hair wild around her face, her chest heaving with angry breaths. She was glorious.

He turned in his chair, staring at her expectantly.

"Why haven't you answered any of my calls?" she shouted, slamming the door behind her.

His eyes narrowed, trying desperately to keep the smile off his face. "Because I'm busy, Norma. What are you doing here?"

"Alex," she whined, moving closer to him. "Don't be mad at me; I can't stand it. Can we please just talk about this?"

He stood up, turning his back to her as he walked to the window. "I don't know, Norma. You really hurt my feelings earlier," he sighed, smirking to himself.

"What? How?" she retorted, walking towards him.

"Whatever, Norma. If you don't know, then I don't want to talk about it."

As soon as she was close enough, she reached out to touch his back, rolling her eyes at his sensitivity but swallowing the sarcastic words that were bubbling to the surface. "I'm sorry I hurt your feelings," she said finally, sighing heavily.

He turned slowly, a smile spreading across his face as he took her in his arms. She melted into his touch, her eyes sliding shut as he pulled her tightly against him.

He pressed his lips to her ear and whispered, "I'm just messing with you."

Her eyes flew open and she pulled back to see him smirking at her.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" she said, blistering with rage.

She twisted out of his embrace, half-running toward the door.

Just as she reached for the knob, his hands wrapped around her upper arms, holding her in place. "Let go," she said calmly, though he could feel the anger radiating off of her.

"No," he said, tightening his grip on her.

"Alex," she warned.

"Come on, Mrs. Romero. You know you can't stay mad at me," he whispered against the back of her head.

Resisting the impulse to lean into his touch, she took a deep breath. "Let. Me. Go," she repeated.

"Norma, come on. I'm sorry," he whispered, pulling her into his chest. His lips found the back of her neck and her head dropped to the side, instinctively. He placed tiny kisses up and down the length of her exposed skin but her eyes quickly snapped open. He didn't get to be in charge here.

Her hips began to roll against his, tiny circles as she ground her ass against his pelvis.

He held back a moan as he could feel himself grow beneath her. His fingers flexed on her arms and he bit down softly on her earlobe.

She spun in his arms to stare up at him. He smiled, leaning towards her, but she pulled away before his lips could reach hers and pressed a hand against his chest.

His eyebrows knit together as he stared at her in confusion. The hand on his chest slowly trailed down his stomach to the edge of his jeans, hooking under the waistband and she felt his muscles twitch beneath her fingertips. She leaned into him, her lips centimeters from his, stopping just before they could make contact. "Bye Alex," she whispered before turning and walking out without a backward glance.

He stared at the door for a moment, knowing she was just trying to get even with him, but still disappointed that she would leave him in this state. He shifted uncomfortably, pulling at his jeans to lessen the tension. He knew he had lost, but he couldn't help the smile that crept onto his face.

Fuck it, he thought, whipping the door open and running through the lobby, ignoring Regina's questioning stare. As soon as he was outside, he scanned the parking lot, sprinting toward her as soon as he saw her reaching for her car door. She glanced up just as he caught up to her, opening her mouth to say something but cut off as he cupped her face in his hands and pulled her in for a searing kiss.

Her arms wrapped around his waist, welding her body to his as a soft moan escaped her throat. She gasped as he shoved her against the side of her car. He broke off, releasing shaky breaths before pressing another, gentler, kiss to her lips.

She smiled dreamily up at him when he pulled away to look into her eyes. "Don't ever hang up on me again," she said, out of nowhere, the intensity of her voice contradicting the contented smile on her face.

He chuckled, surprised at her words. "Okay," he said, finally and pressed his lips to her forehead.

She smiled, her eyes falling shut as she pulled him closer.

"Do you really have to go?" he whispered against the top of her head.

She smiled coyly at him. "What did you have in mind?" she asked.

He shook his head at her, laughing. "Actually, I was thinking we could have lunch."

"Oh," she said, disappointment evident in her voice.

"You know, I'm beginning to think you just want me for my body," he teased, sounding offended, though in reality he was more than flattered.

"It's a nice body," she giggled, tilting her hips to rub against him.

"Let's go," he chuckled, helping her into her side of the car.


	19. Chapter 15

They sat side by side in the booth, his hand tracing circles on her thigh as they chatted casually. When he was finished eating, he pushed his plate forward, turning his full attention to her. "So, can we talk about Norman now?" he asked, draping his arm over the back of the booth.

She tensed up, nodding slowly. "I guess so," she said before squaring her shoulders and looking at him expectantly, waiting for him to take the lead.

He reached out, taking her hand in his and squeezing it reassuringly. "I just want you to know that I'm not going anywhere."

She smiled, sighing gratefully and leaned in to peck him lightly on the lips.

He smiled as she pulled away, watching as she stared at their entwined hands thoughtfully. "I do want him to come home… It's just that I-" she cut herself off, unsure of what she was even feeling. She sighed heavily, leaning her head into her hand. "I want him home, Alex. He's my son and I hate every second of having him in that place."

He nodded, but otherwise stayed silent. It was clearly the wrong move because she turned back to him, expectantly. "What are you thinking?" she asked; her frustration evident.

Shrugging, he met her gaze and sighed. "I just want to be sure it's the right time for him. I want you to be safe."

She immediately snatched her hand out of his grasp. "What does that mean?" she asked, accusingly.

He gazed pointedly at her. "I think you know what that means, Norma."

"Are you implying that he's dangerous?"

"Norma… That night that you called me for help; that was one of the worst nights of my life. You said you were afraid of him and to me, that means he was dangerous. I don't know if that's still true, but if he's anything like he was that night, then I don't feel safe leaving you alone with him-"

"That's ridiculous," she cut him off.

"I don't think it is," he started.

"No, that is so ridiculous. You are overreacting."

"What if I'm not?" he retorted, raising an eyebrow at her.

Sighing, she looked down at her hands. "No one knows Norman like I do… We are two parts of the same person. There is no possible way he could ever, ever in any way hurt me. Ever… You're just so wrong."

She met his gaze again and he shook his head, raising his eyebrows. "I really hope I am.."

Norma's eyes narrowed as she stared at him thoughtfully, an unreadable expression on her face that made his heart beat a little faster.

"Whenever you're ready," the server interrupted, making them both jump as she set the check down on the edge of the table, retreating before they could respond. Alex sighed, reaching for the check but was quickly intercepted as Norma slipped her card in the book.

"Nor-" he began, cut off as she held up a hand in front of his face.

"Don't even try.." she said, the corner of her mouth turning upwards.

He returned her smile, holding his hands up in mock surrender before relaxing back against the booth and winding an arm around her shoulder. "Thank you," he whispered in her ear.

"You're welcome," she replied as her hand dropped to his knee.

"Fight over?" he asked.

"That wasn't a fight Alex," she giggled, turning her head to look in his eyes. "But yes. Discussion over."

Her hand trailed up his thigh and he held his breath, glancing guiltily around the room, though no one was paying them any attention.

Her fingers lightly grazed the zipper of his jeans, palm bumping against his length and he cleared his throat. "You know, the server will be back any second now," he warned, his voice low.

She ignored him, grasping him somewhat roughly and he sucked in a sharp breath. "Norma," he gasped, reaching down to stop her movements.

Glancing up through her lashes at him, she bit her lip to hold back a smirk. The moment she pulled her hand away from his lap, the server returned to collect her card and he exhaled the breath he had been holding in.

Once in the car, Norma slid as close to him as possible, resuming her teasing as though they had never been interrupted.

"Put your seat belt on, please," he said in a stern voice and she glanced up to see his jaw clenched tight.

Her brows furrowed as she tried to detect the sudden shift in his mood. Pulling her hand away slowly, she turned her body toward him but he kept his eyes on the road. "What's wrong?" she asked.

His tone was much softer as he glanced over at her, a soft smile on his face. "Nothing. I just want you safe."

Narrowing her eyes, she studied his face as he turned back to stare out the windshield. "No, that's not it," she said, thoughtfully.

He chuckled, "What else would it be?"

"You don't want me to touch you," she answered accusingly.

He glanced back over at her, a surprised look on his face. "Of course I do, Norma. I just don't want anything to happen to you. And if you keep touching me like that, I might crash."

She reached behind her, pulling the seatbelt across her chest and stared through the windshield. A moment passed before she turned back to him, a wicked smile spreading across her face. "Then pull over," she whispered, seductively.

He smiled to himself, but didn't dare meet her eyes. "Norma, I really should get back to work. Besides, there's not really a private place to pull over between here and the station."

She huffed out an irritated sigh, crossing her arms over her chest and looked out her window.

He glanced over out of the corner of his eye, surprised when he noticed that she looked more hurt than angry. "Look I'm just not in the mood right now. It's not about you…"

She remained silent, her eyebrows raising as she shook her head, trying to appear indifferent.

He turned back to the road, not saying a word for the rest of the drive.

When he pulled up outside the station, he turned to her. "Are you okay?" he asked, reaching out to tuck some hair behind her ear so he could get a better look at her face.

"Yep," she answered, too quickly. "You should probably go in. You don't want to be late." Her tone was sharp, her eyes looking straight ahead, avoiding his questioning gaze at all costs.

"Nor—" he began, cut off as she pulled his hand away from her face.

"Go Alex."

"Norma, come on, don't be like that," he said, leaning his forehead against her shoulder.

She leaned into his touch instinctually, her hand coming up to cradle his face for a moment. "Have a good rest of your day at work. I'll see you tonight," she whispered as he clutched her hand in his and pressed a kiss to her palm. He smiled softly against her skin and stretched up to look into her eyes.

"I love you," he whispered, leaning forward to catch her lips with his.

"Go," she mumbled into his mouth, pushing gently against his chest.

"Not until you say it," he whispered, clutching the back of her neck to keep her where she was.

"I love you too, whatever," she rolled her eyes.

"Like you mean it," he whispered before biting her bottom lip a little harder than he meant to.

She hissed, not entirely hating the pain, and melted against him.

"Say it," he whispered.

"I love you," she sighed, her hand resting against his chest.

She felt him smile as he pressed a soft kiss to her lips, disappointed when he pulled away less than a second later.

"I'll see you tonight, baby," he said, stepping out of the car before she could respond. She watched him until he disappeared from view, sliding behind the wheel.

A mischievous smile crept over her face as an idea came to her and she pulled out her phone, typing "Fantasy Lingerie" into Google Maps.


	20. Chapter16

Alex pulled up on the gravel alongside Norma's car, smiling up at the house as he turned off the engine and hopped out. He took the stairs two at a time, eager to have her back in his arms, and threw open the front door as quickly as he could manage.

"Norma!" he called from the foyer.

"Upstairs," she replied, casually, and he jogged up the steps, skidding to a stop as he rounded the corner.

Norma lay on her side, facing the door, lip caught between her teeth as she stared him down. He suddenly felt lightheaded, frozen in place as his eyes raked hungrily down her body. Her breasts barely encased in emerald lace; nipples just visible through the sheer fabric.

His eyes drifted lower, her abdomen bare, save the garter belt which rested on her hips and attached to thigh-high stockings, trimmed in scalloped lace. His breathing turning to shallow pants, he met her gaze once again. Her expression had shifted slightly, her eyes somehow darker; challenging him.

Before his brain could catch up, his feet were moving, carrying him towards her slowly; a lion stalking its prey. She sat up, hanging her legs off the side of the bed and tilting her head back as he drew nearer, not daring to break eye contact.

In a second he was on her, his fingers finding their way beneath the front straps of her bra and tugging her forward; lips crashing against hers as a deep groan escaped his throat.

Reaching up to clutch at his jaw, she kissed him back desperately and her legs opened to him, ankles locking around his calves. She used her newfound leverage to pull him on top of her as she laid back on the bed.

His arms shot out to catch himself, keeping most of his weight off of her but never breaking their kiss. One hand finding her cheek, fingers tangling into the back of her hair as his other drifted down the front of her body. Goosebumps flared along the path his fingers travelled, her heart beating wildly as he reached the hem of her panties.

Wanting to feel how wet she was, he cupped her center, surprised when his fingers met bare flesh. He pulled back to look into her eyes, questioningly. She smirked at him before craning her neck to nip at his bottom lip. He hissed, before raising himself off of her and dropping to his knees between her thighs.

She leaned up on her elbows, feeling a rush of excitement as he glanced down to find that the panties were crotch less. She giggled; a sweet, innocent sound that made his abdomen twist in the most delightful way. Meeting her gaze once again, he uttered the first words either had spoken since he walked in.

"Christ, Norma. Do you have any idea what you do to me?"

Her heart skipped a beat as she sat up, her hands finding his face and she stared at him seriously. "Show me," she breathed. His fingers clutched at her hips, and he leaned forward but she dropped a hand to his shoulder, pushing him backwards. "No, I want you to show me what I do to you," she sighed.

He glanced up at her, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion as he tried to make sense of what she wanted.

"Touch yourself," she clarified, barely audible.

"What?" he asked.

"I want to watch you touch yourself." Clearer now, more confident.

He sat back on his heels, appraising her expression. Something was off, but he couldn't pinpoint it. He didn't want to ruin the mood, but this was not his Norma.

After a long moment of silence, he cleared his throat and straightened up to her level again, searching her eyes. "Why?" he questioned, his hand stroking her cheek softly. Taking one of her bra straps between his fingers to emphasize his point, he asked; "Why are you doing all of this?"

She immediately felt her stomach drop, her cheeks flushing in humiliation and she buried her face in her hands. "Ugh, never mind, this was stupid," she huffed out exasperatedly.

"Norma, stop. Tell me what's going on," he urged, his tone soft and his hand stroking up and down her arm.

Her hands dropped to her lap and she shot him an unreadable expression. "Why do you always do this? You're always ruining the mood when I want to do something crazy and I don't understand why. Aren't guys supposed to have fantasies about this kind of stuff?" she asked.

He stayed quiet, knowing there was more she wanted to say, and continued to stroke her skin.

"I mean… You didn't want to fuck in the car earlier, you didn't want to come in my mouth last week. And then I do all of this shit today; I dress up for you and you still don't want to fuck me…?"

His heart sank as he watched the tears well up in her eyes. She breathed out sharply, scrubbing the back of her hand quickly against her eyes as if he wouldn't notice. "Well? Are you going to say anything?" she snapped, tugging his hand away from her arm.

"Norma… This has absolutely nothing to do with me not wanting to make love to you."

She let out a bitter laugh, rolling her eyes and climbing up towards the headboard, throwing the comforter over her lower half.

He didn't let her get far, sitting cross-legged on the bed in front of her and reaching out to touch her leg through the covers.

"Honey, the only reason I'm careful about these things is because I don't ever want you to do something because you think I want you to. I respect you and I love you and I'm never going to stop making sure you're okay…" He paused, unsure how to get his point across. He sighed, frustrated with himself. "I'm so sorry you've felt that I don't want you, because that's just not true. There's nothing in this world that's better than being with you… But I feel like you think you have to be this sex object for me, and you don't. I want you to feel comfortable with me. I want you to feel safe."

Her expression was thoughtful, a haunted look in her eyes that made him want to wrap her up in his arms. "Can I hold you?" he whispered, careful not to touch her if she didn't want him to.

She looked up at him sadly, a tear sliding down her cheek, and nodded.

He crawled toward her, slipping off his shoes and climbing under the sheets with her. Her head leaned against his solid chest and he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, his other pulling her into his lap. He rocked her gently, ignoring the pain from his still solid erection, and kissed the top of her head. "I'm here. You don't have to hide anything from me. Ever," he whispered soothingly.

A strangled sound escaped her throat, somewhere between a laugh and a sob and she shook her head. "I'm sorry. I just keep feeling like I'm going to lose you. Like you're going to realize one day that I'm not worth it and go find some hot 25-year-old who wants to have sex all the time…"

He chuckled, squeezing her tighter against him. "Norma, I think you're seriously overestimating me. I'm an old man now; I can't have sex all the time."

She giggled, pulling back to look into his eyes and he leaned down to press a soft kiss to her lips.

His expression turned serious as he took her face in his hands and turned towards her. "You are worth it, Norma. God, I can't even begin to imagine my life without you. There's nothing else in this world I will ever need."

She twined her arms around his back, fusing their lips together again and he smiled against her mouth. "And I always want to fuck you…" His voice was low; dangerous, and she felt a chill run down her spine. "Always," he whispered, his tongue gently running along her lower lip.

She shivered, her breathing turning shallow as he pulled her beneath him, laying her flat on her back. "I love you… So much," she sighed as his lips travelled down her chest, mouth closing around her breast through the lace of her bra. Squirming, she ran her fingers through his hair, crying out as he bit down on her nipple.

He wrapped his arms loosely around her and she arched her back, allowing him room to unhook the hindering garment.

Sliding the straps down and off her arms, he took her breast back into his mouth, now directly against her skin, kneading and pinching at the other and she wrapped her legs around his back.

"I love you," he finally replied, his breath hot and needy against her skin.

Without warning, he sat up, pulling his shirt over his head and her hands flew to his belt buckle, fumbling with the button of his jeans, before he swung forward again to capture her lips.

He used his weight to push her back down on the bed, allowing her space to free him from his pants.

"Hurry up," he growled, muffled by the insistent press of her lips against his.

She giggled and his lips slid off of hers, trailing along her jaw and up to her earlobe. His tongue flicked against the sensitive skin of her neck just as she yanked his pants down his hips and he reached down to help her the rest of the way.

Grabbing himself in hand, he pushed into her with no further hesitation. Her head dropped back as she groaned, and he stilled for a moment.

"Okay?" he asked.

Not trusting herself to speak just yet, she nodded, clutching at his back.

He began thrusting into her hard and fast, kissing her forehead, her nose, her cheeks. He clutched her hips roughly as he felt that familiar pull in his groin. Her gasps and pleas egging him on as he suddenly flipped them over, biting her lip and whispering, "Ride me."

She smiled wickedly at him, pushing herself up on his chest and guiding his hands to cup her breasts. She began to roll her hips against his, raising herself up on shaking thighs until only the tip of him was inside her. He bit his lip, watching her torture him and his fingers pinched her nipples.

Slowly, she sank down on him, little by little, taking more of him inside her. Her eyes fluttered closed in concentration as his thumb slipped down to rub small circles into her clit.

"Alex," she moaned, a whiney sound that made his mouth run dry. She was driving him crazy.

"Baby, please," he begged. The moment her eyes met his, she bent forward to kiss him, open mouthed and hungry. Her hips snapped back and forth as she brought them both closer to ecstasy.

"Oh God, Alex!" she cried out as his thumb flicked back and forth against her clit.

"Yes, baby. Give me everything," he gasped.

Her back stiffened, her forehead dropping to the pillow beside his head and she let out a fractured scream.

She pulsed around him, urging him to let go and he bent his knees up, thrusting into her a few more times before spilling into her with a relieved groan.


	21. Chapter 17

"You look unbelievable in this by the way," Alex whispered, when their breathing had finally returned to normal. Her head rested on his chest, left arm draped over his stomach as he ran his index finger over the lace trim of her panties. "I especially enjoyed these…"

She smiled to herself, breathing out a soft laugh. "I thought you might." As she stretched her neck up to peck him lightly on the lips, he twisted a hand into her hair, holding her tightly to him. "Thank you," she sighed, smiling after he reluctantly pulled away.

"Come on," he said, sitting up and pulling her with him. "Let's go take a shower."

She hopped up quickly, reaching for his hand, but stopping short when he whirled back around to face her.

"Wha-", she began, cut off when he swooped down in front of her, throwing her over his shoulder. She burst into a fit of giggles as he carried her down the hall, playfully swatting at his back in mock protest.

He let her down to her feet when they arrived at the bathroom, hands grasping either side of her face the moment she was safely on the ground. He kissed her with all the force he could manage, and her knees buckled in response, hands grasping his wrists to steady herself.

When he pulled away, his eyes were bright, alive with wonder, and she gazed at him questioningly. "What was that for?"

"I'm just really happy… I'm happy I'm here, with you, in your house."

Her eyes softened, her palm reaching out to cup his cheek. " _Our_ house," she corrected.

He smiled down at her, leaning forward to press his lips to hers, softer this time.

"I'm happy too, Alex," she whispered when he pulled away. His arms snuck around her back, fingers finding the clasp to her garter belt and undoing it to let it fall from her waist. He sunk down to his knees, sliding one stocking down her leg, and then the other.

She stepped out of them one by one, combing her fingers through his thick black hair as he trailed his fingers back up the fronts of her thighs and hooked them into her panties. When she was finally just as naked as him, he stood, reaching around her to turn on the water.

Taking her in his arms, he kissed the side of her face. She hummed softly, smiling against his chest and wrapping her arms around his waist.

"I think it's ready," she whispered, stepping back to test the water and pulling him with her as they stepped into the tub.

He reached for the shampoo, turning back to her with a smile on his face. "Can I wash your hair?" he asked in a tone so innocent and nervous that she couldn't help but laugh.

His smile faltered slightly, and she instantly realized her mistake, kissing him lightly on the lips. "Of course," she smiled as she pulled away, turning her back to him as she stepped under the stream of water.

He began to lather the soap in his hands, walking toward her and pressing his chest against her back. She gasped at the unexpected contact before leaning back against him as he went to work.

"So," he began. "Tomorrow's Valentine's Day."

Immediately, he felt her body tense up and he leaned over her shoulder in an attempt to see her face better. She stared straight ahead, her fingers tangling with each other and she shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, I guess it is," she sighed; a hint of disappointment in her voice.

"Is that a bad thing?" he questioned. His hands dropped to her shoulders, encouraging her to face him. She rearranged her features before turning to meet his gaze, a tense smile on her lips.

"Of course not. Why would it be?" she chuckled. He nodded toward the shower head, silently imploring her to rinse out the soap. She took the hint, stepping back and running her fingers through her hair, all the while watching him carefully.

"You just don't seem too thrilled about it," he shrugged.

She sighed, nodding slowly as she glanced around, avoiding his questioning stare. "I've just never really had a good one. I guess I never understood the point of it. It just all seems so cliché, you know?"

He smiled softly, nodding. "I understand. I haven't had a good one either."

She stepped toward him, wrapping her arms around his waist and melting her body against his. "I don't want flowers or chocolate or teddy bears or whatever stupid things people get for each other on Valentine's day. I just want to spend time with you," she sighed, running her fingers along his lower back.

He leaned his cheek against the top of her head, laughing as he held her tighter. "I kind of already got you something…" he whispered.

Her eyes snapped open and she pulled back to stare at him in horror. "Oh God, Alex. I'm so sorry I said all of that. I just didn't want you to go to the trouble of figuring out what to get me."

He listened as she rambled on, trying not to smile as he watched her panic.

"Norma," he chuckled, reaching out to grab the tops of her arms. She stared up at him, her eyebrows knitting together and her expression full of guilt. "It's really not a big deal. I wanted to do it anyway and it wasn't originally intended for tomorrow so it's not technically one of those 'stupid things people get each other on Valentine's day'".

She gazed at him in confusion, unsure of what to say, and he sighed, turning off the water and taking her hand to lead her out of the tub. He grabbed a towel, wrapping it around her shoulders and began to dry himself off. "Come on, I'll just show you now," he smiled.

After they finished dressing, he led her down the stairs and out the front door. "Did you get me a new car? You know I don't need one right?" she started, curiosity getting the best of her after a long moment of silence.

He shook his head, sighing exasperatedly and turned to face her. "You do know I drove all the way to Portland to get that car back for you, right? I know you don't want a new car."

She smiled before turning to look around. "Well what is it then?"

He chuckled, taking her hand and leading her around the side of the house. She stopped dead in her tracks when she finally saw it; three small trees planted along the side of the house. He turned back to gauge her reaction, pleased when he saw the tears welling up in her eyes.

"You planted fruit trees?" she whispered, her voice so quiet he almost missed it.

"Yeah. I only picked three because I wasn't sure which kind you wanted, and I figured I could always go back and get more if this isn't enough."

He waited for her to say something, anything. When she remained silent, he pulled her with him to get a closer look. "These are apples, the one in the middle is fig and the one on the end is cherry… The lady at the nursery said these are the best ones to grow in this area."

She shook her head slowly, her mouth dropping open as she stared at tiny sprigs in the ground. She couldn't figure out why this little gesture meant so much to her. Finally, she met his gaze, an errant tear escaping the corner of her eye and the tiniest of smiles forming on her lips.

"I can't believe you did this."

He shrugged, smiling at the ground. "They're just trees, Norma."

"No. No, they're not just trees. You remembered me saying how important this was to me. You bought me trees because you knew I wanted them. Alex… No one has ever done anything like this for me before." She threw herself in his arms, clutching him tightly as she kissed the side of his neck. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," he smiled, rocking her gently from side to side.

"Maybe Valentine's Day isn't so terrible," she whispered.

He laughed, pulling back to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. "Just as long as I don't get you flowers or chocolate or teddy bears, right?"

"Right," she giggled, leaning forward to press her lips to his.

"I was thinking maybe we could just go see a movie tomorrow night instead of trying to do some fancy dinner," he said, smiling as he noticed the excitement in her eyes.

"Really? You're sure you don't want to do something romantic and normal?" she asked.

"I'm sure. Besides, I've always wanted to fool around in a theater," he chuckled, waggling his eyebrows at her, suggestively.


	22. Chapter 18

The next evening, as they sat in the movie theater, pretending to watch the previews on the screen, Alex's hand found its way to her bare thigh. She smirked to herself, avoiding his gaze and secretly pleased with herself for choosing to wear a dress and boots.

Slowly, his fingers dragged the material farther up her leg and she cleared her throat. He glanced over to find her staring at him. "What are you doing?" she mouthed so the couple several rows in front of them couldn't hear. They were the only other people in the theater and Alex wanted to laugh at how overly cautious she was being.

"I'm bored," he whispered back, shrugging his shoulders with a smug smile on his face.

She leaned toward him, pressing her lips against his ear. "There are people in here."

He chuckled, tracing circles on her exposed thigh. "I know," he breathed, pulling back and staring at her lips. "That's part of the fun."

She glanced nervously at the couple in front of them, then back at him. A smile crept across her face just as the lights went dim and the movie began. "Proceed," she smirked, leaning back in her chair and turning her attention to the screen.

He smiled to himself, watching his fingers drag her skirt up until he reached the bottom of her lace panties. Her breath hitched as he traced the pad of his index finger along the already damp fabric. Glancing up at her face again, he noticed that her eyes were heavy, though she tried to appear unfazed, and her teeth tugged at her bottom lip.

A loud crash on the screen had them both frozen in their seats for a moment before he suddenly realized this would be the best time for her to make all the noise she wanted. His hand clutched her knee, and he tugged her legs open, draping the right one over his left thigh to allow him more access. She gasped, reaching out to grab his wrist as he slipped his hand under the waistband of her panties.

The action on the screen continued, loud bangs covering her now frantic moans as he rubbed her clit.

"Alex," she cried, just loud enough for him to hear. He slid one finger inside her and her grip tightened on his arm. His eyes now glued to her face, unable to tear them away from his wife who was now writhing in her chair. All previous pretenses dropped as she gave herself over to the pleasure.

He could feel the tension building in his pants; her expression so erotic and beautiful that he ached to be inside her.

Her head dropped back as he slowed his strokes, dragging her wetness up to her clit and circling her sensitivity with barely any pressure.

"Alex, more, please. Don't stop, don't st—" she choked out between sobs. The screen went black for a moment, the theater suddenly silent save her fitful breathing.

His lips dropped to her ear and he whispered, "Don't make a sound." Her eyes flicked open and she stared at him, coming back to reality as the beginning credits rolled. The music from the movie much quieter now and not likely to hide her screams. Nonetheless, he couldn't contain himself any longer and dropped to his knees in front of her.

Staring up at her, he took one leg at a time, gently draping them over each of his shoulders. Her heart beat wildly as he reached out to pull her panties to one side, all the while gazing into her eyes, silently asking permission to make her come.

Her hand clasped over her mouth, preparing herself for the pleasure she could almost feel just by looking at him. One quick nod of her head was all the confirmation he needed, and his gaze dropped to her center, followed quickly by his tongue.

Her free hand flew to his hair, tugging it painfully as she desperately tried to keep her moans as quiet as she could. Thankfully, the movie was picking up again and she was able to relieve some of the tension built up in her chest; mewling softly.

He kissed her slowly, gently, one finger slipping back inside as his lips closed around her and he sucked. His hands slid up her thighs, reaching her hips and tugging her forward a bit to give him more room. She bit into her hand, muffling the sound as another moan ripped through her.

Alex hummed against her center, the vibrations sending shivers up her spine. He added another finger, pumping them in and out while he sucked her particularly hard. Norma glanced down at the couple just in time to see the man standing up to go to the bathroom. She dropped her hand quickly, rearranging her features and sent him an innocent smile as he looked in their direction.

She could tell by the look on his face that he knew what was going on behind the chairs and she would have been humiliated if she hadn't been so preoccupied with Alex's tongue against her.

As the man rounded the corner, she let her head drop back against the headrest and closed her eyes, feeling the tightness gathering in her belly.

"Fuck Alex," she sighed, and she felt him smile against her. "Harder, faster," she moaned.

He could feel her getting close and he tightened his grip on her thighs, flicking his tongue against her as fast as he could. She clenched around his fingers, her body jerking in time with the movements of his tongue. She clutched his hair so hard that he hissed in pain, though never once slowed his movements. Suddenly, her breathing stopped, and he glanced up to see her mouth hanging open, her eyes screwed shut and her chest heaving, trying to suck in air. She looked glorious, her hair a tangled mess and her skirt hitched up around her waist, the heels of her boots scraping his back as she pulled at him, desperately wanting him closer.

He released her from his torturous mouth, climbing back into his seat and pulling her against his chest as she sobbed into his neck. He held her as she came down from her violent orgasm, rubbing her back soothingly while her breathing slowed.

He chuckled as she placed desperate kisses against his neck, showing her gratitude. Her lips trailed up to his jaw, teeth grazing against the skin there while her hand dropped to his lap and she began stroking him over his pants.

"Norma," he whispered, urging her on. She slowly pulled down his zipper, her tongue trailing up the side of his neck to his earlobe. She pulled it between her teeth, reaching into his pants to stroke him directly against his bare skin. He shuddered, reaching a hand across her to hold her face close to his. His eyes fell shut, fingers tangling into her hair as she continued teasing him slowly.

"Jesus," he breathed.

"I love you," she sighed in his ear and before he could even comprehend a response, she dropped to her knees between his legs. Just as he had done for her, she glanced up from under her lashes, asking for permission. He smiled gently at her, reaching out to stroke her cheek and nodded.

She leaned forward, licking him from base to tip before taking him into her mouth. His fingers tangled into her hair, his eyes falling shut. She bobbed her head back and forth, gently, taking a little more of him into her mouth at a time. He bit his bottom lip and she glanced up at him, wetness pooling in her panties at the sexy sight before her. She continued to watch him, her nails lightly trailing down his thighs as she plunged down on him, as far as her throat would allow.

"Fuck," she saw, instead of heard, him say. She loved it when he cursed like that; knowing he was completely at her mercy.

He tugged on her hair when she allowed him to bump the back of her throat, a groan slipping out of his mouth when the movie went quiet. His eyes flicked open to make sure the couple hadn't heard. Satisfied when they didn't turn around, he met Norma's gaze, his mouth slightly open, his dark eyes somehow darker and she was lost. He looked so unbelievably sexy like that. A dangerous, lust-filled expression on his face that made her forget where they were completely. She released him from her mouth, kneeling up to his level and kissing with so much force, he knew his lips would be bruised.

He clutched the back of her head, swiping his tongue into her mouth while she pumped him in her hand. She smirked before biting his tongue hard, and he pulled back slightly, staring at her with so much pleasure on his face that she knew he was only seconds away. She sped up her movements, staring into his eyes and whispering, "Come."

The dominance in her voice pushing him over the edge as she felt him release in her hand. He pulled her lips back to his, biting her lip and groaning into her mouth as she drained him.

"Fuck, I love you so much," he growled when she took her seat beside him and continued to stroke him. His hand shot out to grip her wrist. "Too much, baby," he whispered in her ear, his head still resting on her shoulder, breathing still frantic.

She giggled, wiping her hand on her dress before tucking him back into his boxers and zipping up his pants.

"Thank you," he smirked, leaning up to kiss her lips again.

"Ugh, I'm a mess," she whined.

He laughed. "It's your fault. You're too fucking sexy."

She smiled at him. "God, so are you. When is this stupid movie going to be over? I want to get you home."

"Who cares? Let's go," he laughed, pulling her to her feet.

* * *

The next morning, Norma woke to a shrill ringing from the kitchen. She slipped out of bed quietly, careful not to wake Alex on his day off.

She took the stairs two at a time, jogging down the hall to reach the phone before it stopped ringing.

"Hello?" she answered, her voice groggy from sleep.

"Hello mother. Dr. Edwards is releasing me today. I'll be ready to be picked up at noon."


	23. Chapter 19

"Alex," Norma whispered, trying to shake him awake. "Alex, wake up," she tried again, louder this time.

"Alex!" she said at full volume, shoving his shoulder a little too hard when he didn't respond.

"Wha-what?!" he shouted, sitting all the way up and staring at her with concern evident in his eyes. He noticed the tear stains on her cheeks and pulled her into his chest immediately. Rocking her back and forth, he allowed her to catch her breath before whispering; "Today?"

She could only nod, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. "Noon," she replied, clutching his shirt in her fists and shaking her head in frustration.

"Should I go?" he sighed, his heart breaking a little as he fully realized this was the end of their perfect bubble.

She shook her head violently as soon as the words left his mouth. "N-no no Alex, I don't want you to leave yet." Her fist tightened into his shirt and she stretched up a bit to brush her lips against his throat. "Don't go," she whispered against his skin.

He turned to glance at the clock on the bedside table. _7:45._ They had time. He lifted her chin, bringing her around to face him. He stared at her with sadness in his eyes. Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, he pulled her face to his, kissing her softly, but with an edge that she knew all too well. He wanted her. Needed to relieve some of the pain and fear he felt, and the frustration he didn't want to feel towards her for allowing Norman to come home.

He pulled her beneath him, her legs automatically finding their way around his hips. He pulled her robe open, his hand swiping up her center, finding her soaking wet. Once again, he was fascinated with how she was always ready for him. He learned early on that sex was how she coped with pain, and for a moment, he marveled at the many ways they were similar.

She clawed at his back as she kissed him eagerly, mewling softly as his fingers came into contact with her most sensitive area. He quickly withdrew his hand, reaching back to pull his pajama pants down a bit. Taking himself in hand, he pressed the tip against her clit, sliding it against her wet heat before plunging into her as far as he could go.

She let out a quiet moan which quickly turned into a sob and he immediately pulled back to check her face. Her eyes were shut tightly, a single tear escaping.

"It's okay, baby," he whispered, peppering her face with kisses. "We're going to figure this out."

She pulled him more on top of her, constricting her legs around his waist so he couldn't move. Hugging him in earnest, she let herself cry into his shoulder. "I'm sorry…" she began.

"Shh, let's not talk now. Let's not think," he whispered in her ear. Taking the hint when he reached back to tap her right knee, she released her death grip on him. "Do you want to do this now?" he asked gently when they finally made eye contact. She nodded, looking sadly up at him, but her pupils were wide; her desire telling him all that he needed to know. He pressed his lips to hers, groaning softly as he began to thrust slowly in and out of her. Last night, their encounter had been so rough and carnal that they both needed this to be gentle.

She placed her palm against the back of his neck, keeping him as close as humanly possible as he continued stroking slow and deep within her. She bit into his lip before pulling his face into the crook of her neck. She hugged him tightly, allowing him to take control; to set whatever pace he wanted. She wanted him to do exactly what he needed. "I love you," she whimpered against his temple.

"I love you," he breathed raggedly before biting softly into the skin of her throat.

The minutes stretched on; their ragged breathing and occasional moans the only sounds in the room, until he suddenly wound an arm around her waist, pulling her up to straddle his thighs. He sat back on his heels, clutching her tightly to him as he thrust up into her, her legs opening wider around him. Pulling back slightly, she pressed her forehead to his, staring into his eyes as she bucked against him. Her hands found his face and she leaned back a bit to see him better.

"I'm glad I married you," she whispered, a soft smile on her face as she rolled her hips against his.

He smiled, a quiet groan escaping his lips and leaned in to kiss her. "I'm glad I married you too, baby," he sighed into her mouth.

A few final thrusts and he found his release, his forehead pressing against her chest as he groaned in ecstasy. Clutching at his neck, she collapsed in his arms, breathing heavily against his temple. They stayed like that for several moments, regaining their composure slowly and she suddenly felt uncertain. She climbed off of him, wrapping her robe around herself tightly and sat down heavily on the edge of the bed.

He stared at her back, feeling a little awkward. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked softly, kneeling up on the bed to pull his pants back on.

She stood up just as he came to sit beside her, glancing up at her questioningly. She turned back to him, a smile on her face that didn't quite touch her eyes. "No. I'm gonna go start breakfast," she said, her voice oddly chipper, and leaned down to peck him lightly on the lips.

He watched as she left the room, sighing out a heavy breath as he heard her at the bottom of the stairs. Reaching under the bed, he grabbed his bag and began packing.

** 3 Days Later **

Alex sat in the diner, staring into his coffee mug, replaying the previous night. Norman's body shaking, his hands gripping the ax as he glared at Alex. His eyes had been so black, his expression murderous. "I HATE YOU!" He had screamed, over and over as he swung the ax against the shed.

Alex's eyes flitted to the screen on his phone, silently begging Norma to call him, text him, email him. Anything. He was terrified, knowing she was with Norman right now and there was nothing he could do about it.

The bell on the front door rang, capturing Alex's attention and he glanced up to see Dylan walking towards him.

"Thanks for meeting me," Alex said as he took his seat across from him.

"Sure. What's up?"

"I, uh…. I don't think Norman should be out of the mental institution. I think he's dangerous. And honestly, I'm afraid to leave Norma alone with him… Now, I'm only curious, but have you ever seen him exhibit violent behavior?"

Dylan glanced out the window, nodding slowly. "Yes," he said, turning back to Alex. "Yeah, I have… I don't think he should be home either."

Alex suddenly felt sick to his stomach, closing his eyes for a moment and nodding. "Okay," he whispered. "Well Norma can't- she won't, see it—"

Dylan scoffed. "You're preaching to the choir."

"And I don't want to do this, but it might come down to us having to have him committed," Alex finished.

Dylan's eyes narrowed, "You mean behind Norma's back?"

"Well she's never gonna do it herself. I can start legal proceedings to have him formally committed, if I get the signatures of two family members."

Dylan shook his head. "You mean you and me… I don't know if I can do that to her."  
"Well I'm afraid something worse is going to happen if we don't, Dylan."

Alex waited as Dylan thought it through for a moment. "Let me try and talk to her," Dylan said, standing up from the table.

Alex pushed his mug away, watching as Dylan walked out the door but stopped in his tracks on the sidewalk. Alex straightened up, silently praying to anyone listening that Dylan would change his mind. Suddenly, Dylan turned back around, his decision clearly made, and returned to their table.

"Okay, how do we start?"


	24. Chapter 20

Alex sat in his house, clutching the phone tightly in his hand. He knew what he had to do, but he also knew what it would mean when he did it. He had to tell her… And she would never forgive him.

The phone rang twice, the tone in her voice completely conflicting with the emotions he was feeling now. "Hi hun," Norma said, her voice soft and sincere. "I miss you," she continued when there was a slight pause on his end.

"Yeah, me too," he replied, the sorrow in his voice unmistakable.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

His head fell into his hands, a lump in his throat that made speaking impossible.

"Alex?" she pressed when there was no response. He drew the phone closer to his ear, desperately trying to commit her voice to memory, knowing it might be the last time they spoke.

But, it couldn't end this way. He had to see her. "I need to tell you something. And I don't want to do it on the phone," he finally managed. Maybe he could make a stronger case when he was in front of her. Maybe she'd hear him out.

"Okay…" she said, a slight distance in her voice already. _Maybe not_ , he thought.

"Can I come over?" he asked.

"Of course, I'll be in room 1," she said.

"Alright, see you in 10." He hung up immediately, taking one last sip of his whiskey before heading out the door.

He pulled up to the motel; the crunch of the gravel loud enough to be heard through the door of room 1. Norma threw open the door just as he stepped out of his SUV. She smiled widely, waiting as he made his way toward her.

"Hi," she said, leaning forward when he was finally within reach and wrapping her arms around his neck.

He hugged her as tightly as he could manage, breathing in her scent. She gasped as his arms constricted around her waist, making it a little difficult to breathe. He walked her backwards, kicking the door shut behind him and pulling back to kiss her fiercely.

She moaned, her hands reaching around to the front of his shirt. He reached out, stilling her fingers as she moved to open the second button.

Pulling back to stare into his eyes, she waited for him to speak.

"I love you… I want you to know that," he finally whispered, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear.

She stared at him in confusion. "I know… I love you too," she said, smiling softly at him. When he didn't return her smile, she reached up to cradle his face in her hands. "What's going on? You're scaring me."

He sighed, reaching up to pull her hands away from his face. He stepped around her, walking further into the room to sit down on the bed.

She turned to watch him, her heart beating wildly as she finally felt the severity of the situation.

"I'm going to tell you something and I just need you to hear me out. Please don't throw me out until I'm done," he said, his back still turned to her.

She took a deep, steadying breath. "Okay," she finally responded.

He stood from the bed, turning to look at her. "I recommitted Norman into Pineview."

Watching as the blood drained from her face, Alex waited for her response. Her jaw clenched, the anger in her eyes visible from where he was standing.

He could tell she was waiting for him to continue. To explain himself, so he took a step toward her. To his relief, she didn't retreat.

"I'm just so terrified. All the time. I'm so afraid he will hurt you and I know you don't believe he will, but you didn't see the look he gave me the other night. You didn't see the rage in his eyes… He wasn't himself. It was like he went away. Like something else took over. And I just couldn't live with myself if I just sat back and did nothing. If anything ever happened to you, I couldn't go on. You are my whole life and I just need you to be safe…"

He glanced down to see her hand shaking. He could tell that she hadn't absorbed any of the words he said. She hated him and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Are you done?" she finally asked.

He could only nod, his expression pleading. His heart broke as he saw the finality in her eyes. This was it.

"Then get the fuck out," she said, tears gleaming in her eyes.

"Norma…" he choked out.

She continued to glare at him, her decision made. She would say no more.

He made his way around the bed, standing directly in front of her and taking her hand in his.

She snatched it away as quickly as she could. "GET OUT!" she screamed.

He stared at her for a moment more, memorizing every feature of her face. "I'm sorry," he whispered as he turned away, reaching for the doorknob and leaving without a backward glance.

She listened as the crunch of tires on gravel faded into nothingness, dissolving into tears against the cold, lonely floor of the motel room.


	25. Chapter 21

Norma laid in bed, staring at the wall as her phone buzzed beside her for the fifth time that morning. Days had gone by without a word spoken between them and she ached to hear his voice. He never left a voicemail and it irritated her more than she cared to admit. The least he could do was to let her hear his voice without giving him the satisfaction of answering his calls.

Before her brain could catch up with her, she was reaching for her phone. Holding it to her ear, she waited for him to speak.

"Norma?" he said softly, his voice immediately mending the crack he left in her heart.

She didn't respond, just clutched the phone tighter to her ear, squeezing her eyes shut tightly as she listened to the sound of his breath.

"Norma, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I hurt you. Can we please just talk about this?"

She released a shaky breath, a tear rolling silently down her cheek.

He sighed, waiting a few more seconds before speaking again.

"Baby, plea—", he began, but she hung up before he could finish, launching her phone across the room as hard as she could.

It clattered against the wall before falling to the floor, the screen splintering into a thousand pieces. She wrapped her arms around herself, her face pressing into the pillow as the sobs took over.

She didn't know how long she laid like that, unsure where to go from here. She hated him. Hated that he was the reason she was here in this lonely, empty house. Turning onto her side, she reached for the frame that sat on her bedside table, and a new wave of anguish took over as she stared at a 10-year old Norman, smiling widely at her. How had it come to this?

If she was completely honest with herself, she knew he wasn't the same little boy he used to be. Something had changed and she knew he wasn't right; that he needed help that she couldn't give him.

But it wasn't fair that Alex could come into her life and completely turn it upside down in a matter of weeks. He had no right to make a decision like that for her.

A loud knock on the front door snapped her out of the trance she was in. She crawled out of bed, making her way to the window beside her vanity and pulling the curtains back.

Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the familiar SUV parked beside the motel. Another harsh knock made her jump, and she dropped the curtain back into place to shield herself from the view.

"Norma!" she heard him call from the porch. She immediately ran to her mirror, wiping the tear stains from her cheeks and running her fingers through her hair to tame the mess.

As she stepped onto the top stair, she heard his key turning in the lock, the door opening a moment later. She stood frozen on the steps, her blood boiling at his audacity. How dare he come into her house without her permission.

The second door swung open and his eyes immediately met hers, stopping in his tracks when he saw her.

"I-I'm sorry, I thought you weren't going to answer the door," he stuttered as he took in her furious expression.

"So you thought that gave you the right to just come in?" she asked, her voice hoarse and her tone as cold as ice.

"Your phone was going straight to voicemail after you hung up. I was worried about you," he reasoned.

She sighed, walking down the rest of the way and sitting on the bottom step. "Yeah, I think it's broken…" she said sadly, staring down at her hands.

"Why?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

She looked up in time to see him rearrange his expression, hiding his smile.

"Because I broke it, Alex. Why are you here?" she asked exasperatedly.

He shook his head, walking over to sit beside her. "Because I want to talk about this. I haven't seen or heard from you in days and it's killing me."

She refused to look at him, though she could feel his gaze boring into her. "Then I guess you shouldn't have gone behind my back and committed my son to a fucking mental institution," she said, her voice oddly calm, despite her harsh words.

"Stop doing that," he sighed. "Stop blaming me without even thinking of it from my perspective."

She finally met his gaze, her eyes narrowing. "You had no right to make that decision."

"Yes, I did Norma. You're my wife. Your son is ill and needs help and I will always do what's in my power to keep you safe. I'm sorry you're mad at me but I'd rather have you mad than hurt."  
She shot up, coming to stand in front of him. "He would never hurt me! Stop pretending like you know more about my son than I do!" she shouted.

"I'm not saying I know more about him. But I am saying that you might not be able to see the situation as clearly because you want to see the best in him. But I want you to be safe. And I want him to get better."

She stopped for a moment, shaking her head at him. "This is not about him and you know it. You've never liked him. You just wanted him out of the way."

He stood up, reaching out to grip the tops of her arms. "That's not true. You know me better than to think I would do any of this for my own sake."

She stared at him, her expression blank. "Actually, I don't."

"You don't mean that."

Her eyebrows raised, but otherwise her expression stayed the same.

His arms dropped back to his sides as he stared at her in disbelief. "After everything we've been through, you really think I want anything less than the best for you?"

She stepped around him, walking toward the front door and sighed out a heavy breath. "Look, we had a good run. You kept me company for a few months but we both knew it wasn't going to last. Why kid ourselves any longer?" she finished, opening the door and turning back to look at him expectantly.

He had seen her like this many times before. Knew this was her coping mechanism when things got too real. But he didn't believe one word she said. He knew she was just trying to hurt him before he could hurt her. His heart broke a little as he saw the glazed look in her eyes, the numbness taking over before she could show him how devastated she really was.

Suddenly he walked toward her, reaching around to push the door shut before pressing her back against it. His hands flew to her face, cupping her cheeks so she couldn't look away.

Her breath hitched when his body came into contact with hers. It felt so good to be close to him again.

"Stop," he whispered, lowering his eyes to her level and staring at her so intensely that she had to look away. "Stop pushing me away. You know I'm not going anywhere," he said, stronger this time. He tucked his finger under her chin, raising her face up so she had to meet his gaze again.

Her lip trembled as she stared at him, her body relaxing a little as she gave up trying to fight him.

"Let me in," he whispered, lowering his mouth to her ear, his lips brushing the lobe. Her eyes fell shut, her hands coming up to rest against his chest.

His hands dropped to her hips, pulling her against him and wrapped her up tightly. She stayed still, neither pushing him away nor hugging him back and he sighed out a relieved breath when she didn't resist him.

She breathed in his scent, committing it to memory before her eyes opened and she pushed against him. "Don't touch me, please."

Immediately, he released her. He would never touch her against his will, as much as it killed him to let her go. He stepped back, meeting her gaze again. That same icy glare was back, and he knew what was about to happen. A lump formed in his throat as he silently begged her not to say it.

She reached behind her again, maintaining eye contact as she opened the door for him. "I need you to leave," she said, her voice strong and unwavering.

A moment passed before he could move, before he could even think. He slowly reached into his pocket, fishing out the key to her house and handing it to her before walking out the front door.


	26. Chapter 22

A month had gone by without a word spoken between them. Alex had picked up the phone too many times to count, his thumb hovering over the call button but always resisting the urge, even in the most unbearable of moments.

It wasn't until he had almost given up all hope, that his phone finally rang. Glancing down, he felt his heart stop, his eyes blinking rapidly as if that would somehow change the name on the screen.

He reached for the phone with shaking hands, answering almost immediately and trying to keep his voice as even and casual as he could. "Norma?"

The silence on the other end was deafening for a split second before her soft voice permeated every one of his senses. "Hi Alex. Um- I was just straightening up in Dylan's room and found a sock that you must have left behind."

His eyes fell shut as he listened to her speak, failing to notice when she had finished. A few moments passed before she broke through his blissful thoughts.

"Alex?"

He straightened up in his chair, clearing his throat before daring to speak. "Sorry. Um okay thanks for letting me know. I'll figure out a way to get it."

"Well, why don't you just come by and pick it up on your way home from work?" she asked.

For a moment, he couldn't believe what he had just heard. He allowed his thoughts to turn hopeful as he considered her solution to this mundane predicament. She surely couldn't want him over just to return something as simple as a sock. Could she? He hoped that this was just an excuse to see him. That she felt as empty and alone without him as he did her. Nonetheless, he kept his tone casual, not allowing his emotions to take over. He wouldn't screw up the only chance she had given him to see her beautiful face.

"I'll be there around 6. Is that alright?"

"That's fine. See you then," she said, her voice still soft and reassuring. But he wasn't a fool. He knew her moods turned on a dime and he wouldn't allow himself to believe anything would come of this.

"See you," he said, hanging up before the relieved sigh squeezed out of his throat. His head fell into his hands, an ache in his cheeks from the smile he couldn't contain. He would see her tonight. If only for a moment, he would see her again. And that was enough.

He pulled up to the motel, his heart beating rapidly as he stared at the house that had once looked so haunted to him. _It's funny how people aren't at all together, and then all of a sudden they are._

She was so right. It's funny how quickly things can change. He couldn't believe how easy it was for him to adapt to her way of life. To surround himself so completely in a world that was so unfamiliar to him, but now would break him to be without.

She came into his life like a wildfire, destroying everything in her path. But what he failed to see in the beginning was that she was destroying emptiness his life was before he knew her. Making room for the beautiful, vibrant, colorful world that she lived in. To see the beauty in the simple things. To see a reason to live. To hope and dream and fight for what you want. What you need.

He stepped out of the car, straightening the collar of his work shirt and smoothing a hand through his hair. He took his time climbing the steps, appreciating all the little details that used to be an annoyance to him: why did she have to have so many damn steps on her property?

But now he was grateful for the distance. He was grateful that he could spend any time being this close to her.

Finally, he reached the door, knocking twice and breathing out a calming breath as he waited for her to answer.

He could hear her open the first door, could see the curtains flutter with the movement of air through the foyer. The door fell open and he could only stand and stare at the breathtaking sight before him. She wore her usual blue silk robe, and the black chemise with lace trim that peeked out of the top of her covering.

She was glorious and his heart ached to be near her. She didn't speak, a look in her eyes that he couldn't quite detect. He knew he had seen it before, but it didn't fit, given the circumstances. She almost looked as if she was arguing with herself. As if she was holding herself back, but was moments away from caving in.

He watched as the emotions flitted across her face, changing as quickly as a blink. And just as he opened his mouth to speak, she launched herself into his arms, her arms wrapping, almost painfully, around his neck and her legs winding around his waist.

He hardly skipped a beat, pulling her tightly into him and stepping up onto the threshold, kicking the door shut behind him as he let her down onto her feet.

She pulled back to look into his eyes, surprised when he immediately pressed her back against the door frame, his hands finding her face before his lips crashed into hers.

She sighed against his mouth, her hands immediately reaching around to tug at his belt buckle. His mind was racing, and while a part of him wanted to stop her, to ask if she wanted to do this, he was too afraid to break the spell. In that moment, he didn't care about the outcome. Didn't care about the repercussions, and just allowed himself to be lost.

His lips attacked hers, tongue sweeping into her mouth as her hand reached under the waistband of his jeans. Her warm hand encircled him and he broke off, a groan escaping his lips. "Jesus," he hissed as she began stroking him, her teeth sinking into his bottom lip.

His eyes opened and he faltered for a moment at the way she was staring at him. Her pupils blown wide, mouth slightly parted, lips swollen from his rough kisses. For a moment, he was afraid. There was a finality in her eyes that he hoped he was imagining. But before either of them could ruin this moment with words, she dropped to her knees in front of him, yanking his pants down just far enough to reach her goal. His knees went weak as her tongue made contact with the tip of his member and his hands flew out to brace himself against the door.

"Norma," he sighed, his eyes squeezed shut, lips parted as he desperately tried to catch his breath. Without warning, she took him deep, reaching around to grip his ass with both hands.

One of his hands fell to her face, his thumb stroking her cheek, fingers clutching her neck. "Baby, stop," he finally gasped out. She pulled back, glancing up under her lashes at him questioningly. He knelt down to her level, yanking her robe off her shoulders and tossing it to the side. His arm wound around her waist, laying back on the floor and pulling her on top of him. Her legs straddled his hips, and she reached between them, guiding him inside her immediately. He made a mental note that she hadn't worn panties, holding back a smirk as he realized this was all planned.

His head dropped back as she pushed herself up on his chest, her hips grinding against his. They both sighed out in pleasure as she rocked above him. He needed to feel more of her, see more of her, so he sat up, pulling the chemise over her head. He ran his tongue along the side of her neck, down over her collarbones and chest. Her hands clutched the hair at the base of his neck as his mouth closed around her nipple.

"Oh god, Alex," she moaned. It was the first time she had spoken and for a moment he was overcome with emotions. A quiet sob escaped his throat and he clutched her tighter to him, burying his face between her breasts. She kissed the top of his head, a soothing gesture that caused him to pull back and look into her eyes.

They stared at each other for a long moment, their movements stopping completely as they admired one another. He wanted to speak so badly. Wanted to tell her how much he missed her. How much he loves her. How he always will no matter what happens between them. But he still couldn't pinpoint the expression in her face. And he was too afraid that one wrong word would send him out the door again. He couldn't lose her. He wouldn't survive it.

So he flipped them over, laying her gently on the floor and hovered above her. Leaning down, he kissed her lips slowly, passionately, and began to move again. They were quickly reaching the edge, holding back only to wait for each other. But soon his thrusts became erratic and he used his fingers on her, her back arching almost immediately as she cried out in pure pleasure. It was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard and he stood no chance at holding back as he felt her nails dig into his shoulders, her inner walls contracting around him. He spilled into her with a loud groan, biting into the top of her breast and clutching her hips so hard that it had to hurt. But the pain only egged her on, her thighs shaking with the intensity of it all.

Their breathing began to slow and he rolled off of her, laying on his back and staring up at the ceiling. When they had both finally recovered, her tiny voice broke through the silence.

"I still hate you," she whispered.

He turned on his side, staring at her with an expression so intense that she couldn't look away. Finally, he saw it in her eyes. The teasing smile that hadn't quite reached her lips yet and the weight on his heart finally lifted. His eyes softened and he smiled sweetly at her.

"No you don't," he whispered.


	27. Chapter 23

They had made it to the bedroom, with a few pit-stops along the way when they couldn't resist each other. He had carried her up the stairs, their naked bodies still connected, and he stopped to take her against the wall the moment she bit into his earlobe.

Norma cried out beneath Alex, her hands clutching desperately at his back as they climaxed together for the third time that evening. He leaned down to press a kiss to her nose before rolling off of her, their bodies peeling apart with a mutual groan.

She let out a breathless laugh, curling into his side and wrapping her arm around his torso, her head resting naturally on his chest. He smiled against the top of her head, breathing in the scent of her and clutching her tightly against him.

"Can we talk now?" he whispered against her head, immediately feeling her body go rigid. She didn't respond, her hand absentmindedly trailing down his stomach, fingers brushing over his member. His hand shot out to still hers before she could distract him any further.

"Don't change the subject," he chuckled.

She sighed, rolling away from him and he instantly regretted letting the question leave his mouth. But as much as he wanted to be in the bubble again, he knew she hadn't forgiven him. He turned on his side, watching as she stared at the ceiling, her mouth set in a straight line. After a few moments, he could tell she wasn't going to respond, and he sat up against the headboard, staring down at her seriously.

"Fine, I'll talk," he began and, without turning her head, she met his gaze out of the corner of her eye.

"I love you. More than anything in this world and I want what's best for you. I know you don't believe me when I say this, but I did not do this for me. I want Norman to be well and I was scared for your safety. That's all. I'm so sorry for bringing you pain. I've only ever wanted to bring you happiness."

She watched him, her heart softening at the sincerity in his voice. She believed him. As furious as she still was, she believed everything he said. Tears formed in her eyes and she angrily swiped them away, frustrated at them for betraying her when she wanted to be mad.

He reached out, tenderly stroking her cheek and her eyes slid shut. "I'm so sorry, Norma."

Giving in, she let the tears fall in earnest, turning on her side, her back to him as she let out a gut-wrenching sob. He ached to comfort her, but he would never touch her if she didn't want to be touched. "Can I hold you?" he whispered.

She could only nod, as the tears streamed down her face. He curled himself around her body, pulling her back against his chest and held her hands in his. "I'm sorry baby. I'm so sorry. I love you, I'm here." Her body shook with the force of her sobs and he nuzzled into her neck, repeating the mantra in her ear until she had finally calmed down enough to speak.

"I'm so mad at you Alex. I want to hate you but I don't. I'm so tired of fighting you but I can't forgive you. Not yet."

His heart broke at her words. But at the same time, he felt hope. _Not yet._ That was a good sign. "You don't have to forgive me. Just take your time. I'll be here when you're ready. I'm not going anywhere."

Her body finally relaxed, sagging against him as he continued to hold her, soothingly stroking her fingers. His eyes fell shut as he soaked in every moment of being close to her. "Tell me what you need," he whispered. "Do you want me to go?"

She shook her head slowly. "No. Just hold me."

He smiled to himself, opening his eyes as hers fell shut. He stared at the side of her exhausted, beautiful face, a sudden desperate urge to kiss her that he ultimately resisted. After a few moments of silence, her breathing grew heavy.

"Norma?" he whispered, but she didn't respond. When he was sure she was asleep, he nuzzled into her neck, a single tear escaping and whispered "I love you with all my heart" before drifting into the first peaceful sleep he'd had in a month.

The next morning, he woke before her. Their positions hadn't changed through the night and he allowed himself to squeeze her a little tighter before reluctantly climbing out of bed. He dressed quietly and tiptoed down the stairs to start the coffee.

* * *

Norma woke slowly, her fingers flexing, instinctually reaching for his but finding the sheets empty. Her eyes slowly opened and she gazed around the room, her heart breaking as she began to wonder if it was all a dream. But out of the corner of her eye, she spotted his watch resting on the bedside table and she couldn't contain the relieved smile that stretched across her lips. A familiar and pleasant ache from muscles unused made the memories of the previous night come flooding back and for a moment, she allowed herself to relive it.

She remembered the way his lips trailed up the inside of her thigh, his tongue darting out every so often, her body jerking in response. Her hand drifted up her bare stomach as she imagined the way he had settled himself between her thighs, pressing gently inside and sighing against her throat. Her pulse quickened, a knot forming in her abdomen as she remembered the way he had moaned all the things he wanted to do to her into her ear.

Her eyes snapped open as she heard Alex clear his throat in the doorway, and she met his gaze with a frenzied look in her eyes. He smirked at her, chuckling as she pulled the sheet up around herself. He made his way toward her, and that's when she finally saw it. He was holding a tray with pot of coffee, a pile of scrambled eggs and bacon, and a single tulip in a vase.

"Good morning," he said with a soft smile.

She returned it easily, gazing up at him as he came to stand beside the bed. "Good morning. You made breakfast?"

"Yeah, well I tried. It might not be edible."

She laughed, shaking her head as she took the tray from him and set it on the bed in front of her. "I'm sure it's great. Thank you."

He reached a finger under her chin, pulling her head up and placed a gentle kiss against her lips. She broke away too quickly, smiling shyly and reached over to pull his side of the comforter back, patting the bed. He followed her unspoken request, walking around to his side, but stopped to reach for her robe hanging on the chair of her vanity. She took it from him with a grateful smile and shrugged into it, wrapping herself up before throwing the covers back over her legs. He sat beside her quietly, taking his coffee off of the tray and sipping it as she took her first bite.

Her mouth twisted in mild disgust and she glanced at him. "It's awful," she mumbled around the eggs in her mouth.

He let out a surprised laugh, turning to take the fork from her hand. "I told you! I'll call in an order from Sunny Side," he smiled, taking the tray from her lap and setting it on the bedside table. "No, no, don't worry about it! I need to run some errands today anyway, so I'll just get something while I'm out. But let me fix you something," she said, moving to climb out of bed before he suddenly reached out to pull her back towards him. She whipped around, surprised as he quickly swooped in to kiss her hard. She moaned against his lips, her fingers twisting into his hair as her tongue slipped into his mouth. Laying her back against the sheets, he hovered above her, slowing their pace and framed her face between his hands. He pulled back to stare into her eyes and she sent him a reassuring smile. "What was that for?" she whispered.

"I just love you," he said simply. "You don't have to say it back. I just wanted you to know."

Her hands traced down the backs of his arms, as she gazed at him, unable to form the words just yet. She changed the subject instead. "Thank you for breakfast. It was really sweet of you," she said.

"You're welcome. Sorry it was so bad. I'll practice," he chuckled, climbing off of her and pulling her to her feet.

"I need to run home and change for work. Let me know when you want to see me," he said, pulling her in for a hug, their bodies swaying gently. She nodded against his chest, a tightness forming in her throat as she realized she didn't want him to leave her again.

He let her go, reluctantly, turning to head for the door. Just as he rounded the corner, her voice rang out from the bedroom. "Alex. Wait."

He came to stand in the doorway again, watching as she fumbled through her dresser. She fished something out and came to stand in front of him. "I want to see you tonight. And tomorrow morning. And every day," she said strongly, her eyes boring into his as she placed his key to her house in his hand.

When his eyes met hers again, he noticed the tear on her cheek, the smile forming on her lips and he wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her off her feet and hugging her so hard she couldn't breathe. "I love you," she finally whispered in his ear.

 ****Thank you all so much for reading and commenting! I'm sorry for all the delays with updates but I appreciate you all hanging in there and continuing to read! I will continue to write more Normero stories but I think for now they will just be one-shots. If you have any recommendations or requests, please send them my way. I love you all 3**


End file.
